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Role-Play

Blast From The Past

Role-Play Name: Blast From The Past
Date Started: February 12th, 2023
Date Completed: Ongoing
Previous Role-Play: Dog Eat Dog (Sea-Star Route)
Next Role-Play: To Be Decided
Users Involved: User:Arukana, User:Black Dwarf Star, User:CoolBlackZ, User:EmperorSigma, User:DazzlingEmerald
Setting: Grand Festa (Paradise)
Timeline: February 2nd, 1579
Characters Involved:

Title Card
Blast From The Past Tilecard

Calling Card[]

Grand Festa.

It was a strange island that was vastly different from most of the other islands that existed within the Grand Line; the reason being that outlaws and criminals were not just welcome within its borders, they were celebrated. Having been former outlaws themselves, the residents of the island had grown to worship and idolize those who rebelled against authority and they became dedicated towards creating a sanctuary where those like themselves could feel welcome and appreciated.

The reason Grand Festa was able to still exist to this day was in large part thanks to one man who was the founder of Grand Festa and had turned a once desecrate and lawless land into the prospering criminal utopia it was today.

The man known as William E. Oscar, revered on Grand Festa for what he had done for all of its varying residents, stood in front of a large glass window within his home as he smiled while holding a transponder snail and opened his mouth to speak to the person on the other end of the line.

“We have everything prepared for today’s big event, I take it you’ll be arriving soon along with our other guests?” He asked as he leaned against the window and stared out into the bustling streets below.

The Den Den Mushi Oscar possessed wore a mohawk for a hairstyle, a zip-up grey jacket, and a miniature sword across its shell. It was a cool snail and to a lot after its owner, the way Den Den Mushi were always intended to be.

"I say we will be there in another hour," A feminine voice said through Oscar's snail. "I assume the other half will be handed in cash directly to the boss." She slid through a couple of pieces of paper, long forms of receipts to say the least and tallied up a few missing funds.

She dragged her finger across various lines, mumbling something to herself. "So that is about, Beli350,000,000 for Joan. Beli500,000,000 for Saweetie. Tony Gray for Beli100,000,000. Himmothy for Beli200,000,000. That is a grand total of Beli1,150,000,000."

Dexter slid across the table. He placed his mouth and face over the snail and smiled as he spoke into it. "And Oscar, I can't believe you offered Lucina Beli1,500,000,000 for me to perform. Not only is this performance not for me in general, but it's supposed to be my vacation weekend." Dexter chuckled, "The inconvenience would cost you at least Beli2,000,000,000. You should know better than that."

A chuckle escaped the mouth of Oscar at Dexter's coy words "Forgive me. I was always taught that it's better to offer a lower price in the early stages of negotiations. It's been my staple for awhile now so you could call a habit, I'll have to work on it" He said while reaching for the tea cup on his desk as he took a sip.

"I'm fully aware of how valuable your time is Dexter and you can be certain you shall be properly compensated for your appearance here. The people on this island might rip me in half if I told them you changed your mind because I was being too cheap in hiring you" He half joked before setting the tea cup down.

"I have to say, I'm looking forward to meeting that rising star duo of yours. Joan and Gray was it? The Sea Stars have been really been the talk among the people here. You must have a good eye for talent for signing them so early" Oscar noted as the guitarist and drummer had been signed to Oceanic Records not long after they had become a pirate crew.

Lucina shook her head at Dexter's antics as she placed the papers on the table. "I'm not sure if you know this or not, but Joan and Gray are both standing as the main events for Oceanic's line up."

"Jojo's gotten so much bigger than when she first started," Sparkles took over Dexter's pupils. He found himself mesmerized at the thought of how far Joan had gotten in her career, almost as if he were a proud big brother. "She so much more popular now. In about another five or so years, you all will be paying her a billion for her interviews alone."

"If I were you, I'd start re-negotiating her contract then if your predicting she'll become that valuable" Oscar teased as he spotted from his window several new ships arriving at the dock, presumably here for the event. "I should thank her though. She's bringing in countless fans and tourists who are eager to see her and her crew perform. I can't imagine the profits we'll be able to rack in this week." Oscar was already calculating the profits in his head from today's venture and couldn't help but smile further.

Suddenly, a knock could be heard coming from his door as a feminine voice spoke to him.

"Sir, your presence is needed downstairs."

"I'll be there shortly." He answered the woman before he spoke to Dexter. "I'll be seeing you soon then, Dexter."


February 4th, 1579.

It had been a little over a month since the Sea-Star Pirates had their encounter against the Beast Brigade, having filmed a widely-successful music video and acquired a crewmate in the form of a dingo named "AC/DC". Following that hectic event, the crew had returned to their daily schedule of sailing through the seas of Paradise and spreading their music to whoever would listen to them, visiting a number of different islands. Of course, these concerts came with the occasional confrontation with the Marines but it was nothing the crew couldn't handle in a swift yet brutal manner through combat.

Speaking of combat, the distinct sound of fighting could be heard from the Bad Reputation as two red blurs surged around the sea vessel, clashing against each other. From each impact they made, a explosive burst of air detonated upon contact until the two finally landed on the floorboards below. Standing in equal distance of one another was Roadie and Joan, each within their respective fighting stances.

"Come on, we've been at this for a while now! Can't we take a damn break?!" Roadie growled out in frustration, standing within his hybrid form. Despite the scales which offered protection across his body, there were a number of notable bruises and burns that marked him. His answer came in the form of a medium-sized fireball, causing him to immediately move out of the way by dashing. "THE HELL?!"

Joan smirked with hair set ablaze and pupils golden, assuming the fiery transformation she had elected to dub as Trailblazer. With her guitar resting on her shoulder, she threw her head back in a boisterous laugh. "Aw, don't be a pansy! I'm just trying to see how far I can take this power, ya know!"

"Still don't know what the hell that thing is... It's no Devil Fruit, that's for sure." Roadie mumbled, stretching his shoulder.

AC/DC, scampered over to Joan during the brief break, holding in his mouth and gradually chewing on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that no one in the crew had made for him. He nuzzled against her leg, intent on getting attention after several hours of being ignored by her. He always liked the way she scratched him behind the ears.

On the other side of the ship away from the fight, Gray would be spotted hanging by the ship's front as he was practicing with a new pair of drumsticks he had purchased not too long ago on an island they had visited. His original pair had been destroyed to the point of being unable to fix and Gray couldn't well be a drummer without a pair of drumsticks so he had made the decision to replace them as best they could but the look of frustration on his face had told a different story.

"It's not the same..." He frowned as he had just finished a quick test run. To the outside eye, Gray's drumming may have seemed identical but Gray himself knew that was a lie as he could feel even the slightest shifts of rhythm and tempo from these new ones. It was a testament to his skill and experience that he could still perform at such an amazing level despite that but being even a tick out of rhythmed bothered the drum artist, especially after the tutelage he had received from Bahman.

Taking a break for now, Gray would stand up and stretch his body as he tried to worry about it later and wanted to see what all the commotion was all about as he walked towards the middle of the deck and spotted the brother sister duo taking a short break.

"You guys sure worked up a sweat huh?" Gray glanced at Joan before shifting his eyes to Roadie as he spotted the burns and bruises. "Well, maybe only you did." He teased.

"How about you hop into the ring with her then?!" Leaping over another fireball, Roadie spun in mid-air like a wheel as he came down with a resounding kick. The added momentum from his constant rotation and descent served to amplify his strike to further heights. "Block this!"

"Sorry, not in the mood for burnt dino nuggets!" Joan quipped back, vanishing in a burst of speed and flames as she rushed through the air and appeared directly behind Roadie. Thrusting her hand down onto her brother's exposed back, she released a concussive burst of flames like a shotgun. "Flare!" The explosive blast collided and sent Roadie directly into the floorboards below, causing the ship to briefly rumble from the impact.

As she landed on floor, Joan's hair and eyes returned to normal as she cheered. "Another victory for Joan! Add it to the scoreboard, AC/DC!"

The dingo barked in the affirmative, running over to a chalkboard with Joan and Roadie's names on them. There were several tallies under Joan's name and only a few for Roadie. He picked up the chalk in his mouth and quite dexterously drew another tail mark under Joan's. Putting the chalk back down he barked, wagging his tail and staring at Joan expectantly.

"Quite frankly, I'm more shocked at how brazenly you've been using this so-called 'transformation' of yours." With a book in hand, Lucian looked over at the extremely loud group in annoyance. His efforts at reading had been fruitless but nonetheless, he tried. "After all, its origin is unknown and for all we know, it could be doing serve harm to your body."

Pushing himself off of the floor, Roadie rested upon his arms. "He does have a point. From what you've said, you used this back on Bird Palett against that assassin who came after ya. Only difference from then and now is how long ya can hold it. Ya haven't noticed anything after using it?"

Humming in thought, Joan tapped her chin while grabbing a nearby jar. "Well, I do recall being drained afterwards. Not just physically but also...mentally isn't the right word. It was like the gauge for my emotions were on low after being high for so long." Opening the jar, she pulled out a piece of dried steak and tossed it over to AC/DC.

"Oi, don't spoil him with treats. He'll get fat and then we'll have to put him on a diet." Roadie lectured, recalling how the same thing happened to Powerwolf when they were children.

AC/DC happily ate the treat out of Joan's hand before snuggling up to her, continuing to lick her hand, both to show affection and get every bit of flavor off of it. His tail continued to wag and he rubbed his head against her leg. He looked up at her, pure joy in his eyes as he stuck his tongue out and panted. Joining a pirate crew may not have been what he had expected to happen, but AC/DC was completely fine with the amount of pampering that Joan provided.

"It's a sign that you're getting stronger. All of us are." Gray said as he threw his arm over Joan's shoulder and had her in a playful one arm headlock. "But it ain't fair that you're the only one that's gotten a weapon upgrade. How am I supposed to show off my awesome new stuff without a badass weapon too huh?" He complained as he squeezed her neck lightly.

Joan laughed at the declaration, putting an arm around Gray's shoulder as well. "Exactly, and don't worry about your drumsticks! We can get in contact with Dexter and seen if he can ship out some replacement ones for ya! He does have connections after all."

"It does pay to have friends in high places." Roadie remarked, now lying on his back.

With a SMACK, Lucian loudly groaned while facepalming. "Why do you lot continue to brush this aside so casually?! Nagasaki, make them see sense!"

Sitting at a table, Nagasaki glanced up from the orange book she was reading with an annoyed expression. Sighing, she closed it and stood up. "While I can understand your concerns, it is a power she benefits from and until proven otherwise, I see no reason to try to restrict her usage of it. It's merely something beyond our understandingーa mysterious power (divine power) if you will."

Joan nodded in agreement. "Exactly! Whatever it is, it's a part of me and I'd never harm me!" She paused for a moment, thinking. "Not intentionally, at least."

"How comforting..." Lucian drawled, rolling his eyes.

"Anyways, we should be focusing on the next event we are gonna be playing at! It's been a while since we've gotten anything big to play at."

Nagasaki raised an eyebrow, recalling exactly what happened last time. "The last big event you were sanctioned to play at turned out to be a ploy. I imagine your boss doesn't want a repeat of such a thing."

Gray’s face would scrunch in annoyance at the memory of what Nagasaki was referring too.

“Ugh, don’t remind us. The last thing I needed this morning was to remember that shit storm” Gray groaned.

AC/DC walked over to Nagasaki, rubbing against her leg. She was the member of the crew that seemed to pet him the least, but he was hoping to change that.

Looking at the dingo, Nagasaki reached down and pet the canine as to indulge his desire for affection.

"Ugh, I get that but he doesn't have to take so long! I'm dying to see a sold out stadium, ya know?!" As Joan expressed her sentiment, the familiar sound of a ringing Den Den Mushi could be heard. Looking over in confusion, she walked over to the table where the once-sleeping creature rested and picked it up. "Yello, this be Joan. If you're a crazy ass fan who wants my hair or something, I will add you to the list of other freaks."

Dexter pulled away from the snail's speaker. He shook his head left to right and simply chuckled, "I can't believe they're asking for your hair. So soon at that! You should be happy! That means you're only getting bigger."

Extending her angled elbow out at Dexter, Lucina interrupted his miniature rant. "Er-em!" She cleared her throat while glaring at Dexter.

"Oh, hey hey," He began to scratch the back of his head. "Joan, get your ass to Grand Festa now! You can't be late, that bastard will try to shave money off of what he already owes me." Dexter gripped Tenrairyu by the hilt, "I'll kill that rich-scamming fuck." A literal fire lit in his eyes as he stared off into the ocean.

Lucina snatched the speaker from him. "Joan, I need you to speed up the ship, sweetheart." Lucina looked over to the papers, "You should have just let us pick you up on the Main Stage," that was the name of the vessel used to carry Oceanic Records employees and artist.

Joan stuck out her tongue in defiance, shaking her head at the proposal. "Bleh! I keep telling ya, Lucy. I like exploring the world on my own merit and meeting people on a journey I choose. We'll be at Grand Festa in no time!"

"Wait, why exactly are we heading to Grand Festa?" Roadie asked in confusion.

"If I were a betting man, I'd say our boss scheduled us to perform there and is only now telling us." Gray interjected as he crossed his arms and stood next to the others. "I wouldn't hold it past him."

"I heard that," Dexter said, holding the tip of Tenrairyu at his snail.

Lucina shook her head and pushed Dexter's sword away. But she was careful to not touch the blade with her bare hands. She absolutely refused to be stifled by its curse. "There was sort of a last minute situation for Oceanic's artist. Saweetie will be there as well and a few other artist that have recently signe-"

"Just get here," He looked out the window of the Main Stage, their ship had finally reached the docking area of the island.

"Sounds like a plan to me! We'll be there before ya know it!" Joan exclaimed loudly.

Lucian sighed, reaching into his trench coat as the sound of items being shuffled around could be heard. "Fortunately, I have a Eternal Log Pose to Grand Festa." Pulling out the aforementioned device, the tactician tossed it over to Gray.

"At least, you are able to go there now. If I recall, you wanted to originally go there as a vacation following the events on Robben Island." Nagasaki commented, still messing around with AC/DC.

Roadie looked over at her with a huge vein on his head. "Stop shaming us for being tricked, woman!"

Gray rolled his eyes at their conversation as he walked towards the steering wheel of the ship, placing the Grand Festa pose at the helm.

"I guess we're making a detour. To Grand Festa it is" He spun the wheel as the ship began to turn, embarking on the trip to the outlaw paradise.

"Hell yeah! A concert and a chance to meet up with some fans, sounds like a plan!" With a wide grin, Joan pumped her fist into the air. Shifting her attention back to the Den Den Mushi, she spoke. "I'll see ya on Grand Festa, Dexter. Don't star the party without me." Not even bothering to hear a response, she hung up and looked to the distant sea.

"Time to rock on!" With that, the Sea-Star Pirates sailed forth towards their next adventure.


Elsewhere, on Haran Island

The sounds of industry and mining sounded as Henry Avery walked through the catacombs of his base. It had been a few months since they had managed to wrest control of mine's operations from its original owners and productivity was through the roof. Turns out treating your workers with respect and allowing them to unionize did wonders for motivation. They now had all the iron they would ever need. It was just unfortunate they didn't quite have the same number of trees they could grow for building new ships. But for now, this would have to do.

The Commodore of the Everything Pirates, commander of three mighty ships, had several bruises on his skin. A rare occurrence initially, given the sheer density of his flesh and muscle, but one that his crew was becoming slowly more and more common as he trained. As always, he was accompanied by his faithful bodyguard, Saul, one of the most powerful members of his crew at the time of joining, and with a fairly high bounty to boot. He made for an excellent sparring partner when his master, the one preparing him for the New World, proved too much to test his strength on.

As Avery was giving his operations a once over, a black blur appeared before him. When the vision cleared, he saw a young woman in a business suit with dark hair. She had cut it over the last few months, not wanting it to get in her face as she ran so it wouldn't impede her vision. Ironically, the change had ushered in a seeming metamorphosis, with the woman, herself, finally becoming recognizable as one. Her former masculinity made those who saw her often mistake her an actual man. It was one of Avery's most trusted officers.

"Commodore," said Brooke Shephard, with a slight amount of annoyance. It was a very recent change to call Avery commodore, one that he seemed to get overly annoyed by whenever someone slipped up, "I have the newspaper for you."

She held the paper and Avery took it into his hands. "Thank you, Shephard, continue your rounds." She nodded and was out of the area like a lightning bolt.

Avery wanted to keep appraised on world events as he trained and gathered his forces. The power he gained would be useless if he didn't know what was going on out in the world. There wasn't anything of particular note in this paper, a few pirate crews attacking, marines defending, and the average puff piece. But there was one thing that did catch his eye. Or more specifically, one name. A grin took hold of his face as he looked up from the newspaper.

"I think we've earned ourselves a break, right Saul?" he said, "want to go to a music festival?


Having been caught up in a rather vicious storm, the Tempest Pirates found themselves and their ship, the Storm Piercer, in a dangerous situation as their members scrambled to keep the ship steady. Koga and Sira were holding onto the sail while Lance was at the helm steering the ship as he tried to keep it stable.

Joey, the captain, had the most important role as he was tasked with protecting the ship from external threats as he soared through the sky and used his power to generate enough wind pressure to blow back the ocean currents that threatened to engulf the ship.

“It just never ends!” The blonde haired youth complained as he landed on top of the mast, his body and clothes drenched as he panted a few times. They had been in this storm for almost an hour now and it was beginning to wear on not just him but everyone as Joey glanced towards the south side where his eyes widened in horror.

“Oh shit…”

A tidal wave unlike anything he had dealt with before emerged from his blind spot and towered over the ship, more than capable of sinking it if it landed.

“How are we supposed to deal with that!?” Lance yelled as Sira looked frightened while Koga grimaced. Joey on the other hand, steeled his nerve and shot right towards the incoming wave, swirling as much wind pressure as he could muster before he threw it forward and crashed against the monstrous tidal wave. The wind managed to disrupt a big chunk of the water but the amount was just too much and the blonde haired captain was eventually swallowed by the wave.

“Joey!” They all screamed as the ship managed to avoid the wave thanks to their captain’s efforts but it would all be for naught if they couldn’t save their captain.

Koga would immediately try to save his captain but Sira grabbed his arm, flinching as Koga whipped his head around to glare at her.

“Let me go!” He shouted.

“Y-You can’t Koga! You and I both ate devil fruits, so we can’t swim!” Sira pleaded.

Koga grit his teeth when he heard that, having momentarily forgotten that crucial flaw, and stared back into the raging ocean where he last saw his captain. Since neither he nor Sira could save him, Koga turned to Lance who had already leapt into action and tried to dive into the water to save his captain. However, the force of the currents were too strong and kept rocking the ship, knocking the shipwright off his feet as he growled in frustration.

“This damn storm!” Lance screamed as he tried to regain his footing but struggled to do so.

As the three members of the Tempest Pirates tried to figure out what to do, a familiar voice would emerge from the sea.

“Toss me something!”

Recognizing that it was Joey’s voice, Lance immediately leapt into action as he dashed towards the center of the ship and used his strength to rip apart a long wooden plank from the deck before tossing it right towards Joey’s voice. The plank would land in the water right next to the Tempest captain as he grabbed onto it and used it to stay above water as he called out to his friends once more.

“I’ll be fine! Focus on keeping the ship safe!” Those were the last words he could impart to them before they couldn’t see him anymore due to the raging tides that continued to force them apart. W

“You heard him!” Koga shouted as Lance and Sira nodded, having received their captain's orders. They had to make sure they could take care of their own end and just pray that he’d be able to survive so they could meet again.

It was their duty as members of the Tempest Pirates.


"That look in your eye, that dedication." Shiguma's voice traveled across the gap. "You said you want to be the best? You want to stand atop the World and be free, correct? You refuse to pray to me like the rest of Xaris does." Shiguma looked down to a young white-haired boy with a smile.

Just the presence of this boy brought joy to his face. A expression he normally didn't take up unless it involved Aoshin. That damned Aoshin. Shiguma reached to his head and at the underside of his hand he grabbed his infamous Straw Hat. This single item alone was what gave him fifty percent of his notoriety, a sacred tool and one of the World Government's deepest darkest secrets.

He reached over to the white-haired boy's head and placed the hat on top of it. "Then this belongs to you. My ambition will only drive me so far, my fate and talent were ripped from me when I was but a child. You though, you possess all of it."


"WHY DO YOU CARE?!" A blue-haired girl shouted on the deck of a large vessel. "That has nothing to do with you anymore!" She was O'Mally Reagan, the First Mate of the infamous Kuzma Pirates.

She was filled with rage and concern for the one she shouted at. They'd spent decades together as apprentice pirates and had grown to make a rather infamous crew for themselves. The decision their Captain had been attempting to make would only set their crew back.

Reagan's nostrils flared and steam shot from both holes. Sol's once sun-like appearance immediately shifted and became reminiscent of a raging fireball. "I won't let you go!"

"Reagan," Kuzma said, his straw hat--the same one he received from Shiguma years ago--rested on his back around his neck. His neck coiled at Reagan's attempt to grow hostile. The other members of the Kuzma Pirates stood around silently. Mental flashes of his time as a Xros Pirates replayed over and over--there was no doubt that the record player was broke.

Kuzma showed his back, or well, his mink coat. Over the side of their ship, a small sailboat rested. He reached to his chest and gripped his pendant and tucked his gaze. That same hand began to emit white light, which formed into his infamous X Sword. With a single swing, the ropes holding the sailboat were cut and the boat fell onto the ocean.

"Mind your business, I'm free to do as I want. Stand down, that's an order." He called out to her.

Her body began to shake and the Infantry Force quaked. "You're soft Kuzma, he isn't any of your concern anymore." She paused and inhaled as much as she could.

"LET ME HEAR YOU SAY IT KUZMA, YOU'RE THE KING."

Kuzma shook his head as he walked closer to the ship's railing. "Even Kings have feelings," he said, jumping off of the Infantry Force into the sailboat.


Blue eyes would awaken to the sight of a beautiful clear sky as Joey slowly opened his eyelids and lifted his body up from the sandy soil he laid in.

"Where...am I?" He asked as he recalled that his last memory was trying to stay alive during that storm and only managed to do so thanks to Lance throwing that plank to him as he clung to it for dear life. He honestly had no idea how he managed to survive but it seemed that luck was on his side once more as he stood upright and glanced around the unfamiliar island he had managed to drift too.

"I'm sure Koga, Lance, and Sira are fine and are still looking for me. I've gotta find a way to meet up with them... Joey thought as he decided to explore the unknown island and perhaps find a boat or a means of communication to allow him to regroup with his crew.

With that settled, Joey would step forward and head into the large forest that was before him.


The gangplank went down as Avery disembarked the Sol Arche. He took in a deep breath, his nostrils being filled with the smell of celebration, which was rather similar to carnival food and popcorn. He hadn't taken in this scent since his trip to Robben Island, so he was less willing to take it at face value this time. His only reason for believing it was true was that he had seen it in a newspaper, but even those could be faked. Of course, the trip to Robben Island hadn't been all bad.

As Avery walked down the gangplank, he turned back to his companion, someone who hadn't really "gotten out" in more than ten years. "Come on, Saul," said Avery, "everything's going to be alright. A ton of people are your height."

The grey-skinned man, with several protrusions of bone erupting from his skin, had taken to cover himself with a massive cloak. It managed to cover up about ninety-nine percent of his flesh. So instead of being a terrifying monster, he was now just a scary man in a cloak. While Saul had been on a few different islands since leaving Robben Island, the reception hadn't always initially been warm.

He shuffled down the gangplank, somewhat slowed by the sheer number of painkillers that he had been given by Liama for this trip. Even then, he still felt pain. But Avery was hoping that having a little bit of fun might help distract him from that pain. Especially since he couldn't exactly hide in a hibernation tube for the time being.

They reached the end of the dock not long after, still getting odd looks from passersby, although the pirate commodore didn't let that distract him from his goal. "Alright, Saul, let's see if we can go find Joan."


A sailboat slowly began to approach the docking area of the island and when compared to the rest of the vessels around, the one that Kuzma chose to ride upon appeared like an ant in comparison. It had been three days since he departed from the crew's main vessel and he had nothing but his emotions to blame.

He was stuck out at sea simply sailing. His stomach growled but he didn't stop once during those three days. Like his stomach he needed his mind to be just as clear.

Grabbing hold of the anchor within the seated area of the boat he leaned over and tossed the chunk of metal into the ocean, docking the boat in the middle of the sea. Standing to his feet the young pirate captain lept from the base of the boat up into the air where he took steady steps back towards the land where he'd now find himself planted right in the middle of cargo removal.

His gaze shifted from left to right, his neck turning in tandem with each of his head movements. Posters were spread all over the walls and people grabbed all kings of musical instruments from this single oversized vessel. His left eyebrow flipped up into the air, "Where the hell did I end up?" He asked himself.

One foot in front of the other, he reached one of the nearby walls and ripped a poster from it. "Oceanic Record Presents," he began to read the text on the poster. "Performing live, Saweetie, Dexter, and Joplin Joan?"


Within the span of two days, the Sea-Star Pirates followed the route directed by the Eternal Log Pose as they blitzed through the erratic seas of the Grand Line. Regardless of the turbulent thunderstorms, chilling blizzards or sentient fruit trying to eat them, they pushed on at the behest of their captain and the urge to spread their music to fans who were awaiting them. Fortunately, their efforts were rewarded as within the distance, the crew could see the island of Grand Festa over the horizon.

"Looks like we've made it! I wasn't expecting it to be this large..." Joan squinted her eyes, letting out a low whistle at the impressive sight.

"Oh thank goodness... I thought I saw my father at one point." Laying on the deck in exhaustion, Lucian could do nothing more than stare up at the sky.

Looking down at the tactician, Roadie raised an eyebrow. "You've really gotta work on your stamina, man." Nonetheless, he grabbed his fellow crewmate and placed him on a nearby beach chair to properly rest.

AC/DC ran up to the banister, hopping up to look over it towards the island. He almost looked like a person with how comfortable he looked being upright. He barked happily. It had been a long time since he had been on solid land.

"So that's the outlaw paradise huh?" Gray observed, curious as to how much of everything he had heard about Grand Festa was actually true. If they really did worship pirates and criminals as if they were gods, then he could only imagine that this trip would be far more eventful than any of them could have imagined.

"To the marines, it's a hive meant to worship scum and villainy. However, in our case, it's a safe haven meant to celebrate our deeds." Nagasaki commented, clearly conflicted by the very nature of the island. There was a multitude of events that could go wrong in such a place but it wasn't her call. At the very least, she'd watch out for any potential threat.

Looking over the island, Roadie's attention was drawn over to the harbor and noticed a familiar Jolly Roger on a ship. A simple long skull, with the cranium being wide in comparison to the jaw which lacked the lower half. "Huh, it looks like we aren't the only crew to come here."

With a raised eyebrow, Joan followed Roadie's finger and blinked at the ship. "Oh, that's ummm...." Scratching her forehead, she tried to recall the captain of the pirate crew. In her defense, it had been quite some time since they met.

"Henry Avery..." Lucian called from the chair, turning over onto his side.

With a snap of her finger, she grinned. "Yeah, the eyepatch guy! He was pretty cool. Pretty surprised he's here though."

"Maybe his log pose brought him here." Roadie pointed out the simplest solution, making Joan nod in agreement.

"That's a good point. Hope he stays around for the concert." Regardless of the situation, there were more important matters at hand such as the upcoming concert. With a wave, she barked out orders to Gray to bring them into the harbor. There were tons of fans and fellow musicians to see after all and she wasn't going to waste another minute not being on said island.

Reunion[]

Within a matter of minutes, the Bad Reputation was docked at the harbor and the Sea-Star Pirates set foot onto the island, electing to leave Lucian behind to rest from their strenuous endeavor. With no sign of a welcome party, the crew had no choice but follow the various signs which directed them to the town square.

"Jeez, where the hell are these fuckers? I figured some of 'em would have shown up to say hi?!" Joan grumbled, arms crossed with a pout. "Hell, not even Dexter was there to greet us!"

AC/DC sniffed the air. His tongue immediately lolled out as his mouth started to water. He barked, pointing his nose deeper into the town. He was a dingo after all, so his sense of smell was more acute than an ordinary human's. And he smelled food.

"You might be singing a different tune when you get a load of this." Gray said while being a bit ahead of the group as he pointed with his finger to the entrance of the large town in the center of Grand Festa. The rest of the Sea-Stars would catch up and be treated to a jaw dropping sight of hundreds of citizens, tourists, and outlaws currently grouped together as they were cheering loudly at the sight of the infamous pirate crew that had just arrived.

"OH MY GOD ITS THEM!" One fangirl shouted as she was adorned in various merchandise that depicted both Gray and Joan.

"LOOK OVER HERE!" This time a man screamed as he was wearing a T-shirt with Joan's face on it.

"SOMEBODY CALL MY MOM!" A woman roared as she passed out. Similar reactions would occur with dozens of members within the large crowd as the news of the mega star Joan performing on Grand Festa had been the talk of the town for the past few days and they had been eagerly awaiting for both her and her crew's arrival.

True to the rumors, Grand Festa certainly lived up to its reputation as being a Fanclub infested haven for outlaws as Gray's eyes twitched in bafflement at the reception they were receiving.

"So uh... you still upset captain?" Gray asked her.

"Uh, I think she can't hear you..." Roadie pointed towards the crowd, where Joan now stood in front of.

Throwing her hand into the air in a peace sign, Joan enthusiastically greeted her crowd of roaring fans. "Don't pass out from my awesomeness! This is an experience of a lifetime and I know ya'll have been dying to meet me and my kick-ass crew!" Looking them over, she let out a low whistle at the impressive number of people who came out to greet her. It certainly lifted her spirits to levels on high!

"Ya'll ready for a concert that'll blow your fucking minds?!"

"YEAAAAH!" They roared in excitement as they pumped their hands into the air and cheered for their idol.

Gray watched the exchange with a chuckle as he scratched the back of his head. "Well, it's good that she's getting the attention she wanted right? I'm not sure how I'd deal with that"

Not even a minute later, a few dozen fans mixed with men and woman with beanies on their heads had somehow grouped up in front of Gray as they all had drumsticks in their hands.

"Your Gray right!? I saw your performance on Solar Island, you tore the stage up!" A female fan said with a toothy grin.

"C-Can we get your autograph, Gray? Your our biggest inspiration!" A young man asked with sparkles in his eyes as the others all nodded in agreement, signifying that they were drumming enthusiasts and there was no bigger drum artist on the seas at the moment than Tony Gray.

"Uh...sure I guess?" Gray said, a bit flustered at being the center of his own fanbase. Joan was usually the one who drew the most attention nowadays and Gray was more than fine with that but seeing a group of fans who were just as passionate about drumming as he was made him feel happy as he began signing their stuff.

The rest of the Sea-Stars could only watch as their two biggest stars had been swamped by their adoring fans.

As AC/DC watched on as his captain and first mate were accosted by fans, the dingo sniffed the air once again. He had caught a whiff of something strange. Something of which he didn't like. It was somewhat involuntary when he turned towards the source and started growling.

"Well, if it isn't Joplin Joan!" called a voice walking through the crowd. Everyone seemed to part for him. Even though he wasn't a musician, he was still a rather famous pirate after all, a super rookie in the same generation as their idol. The symbol of his crew was sewn into the shirt he was wearing. Despite AC/DC's misgivings of the man, he didn't seem particularly dangerous or aggressive, wearing a large and jovial grin. He was genuinely happy to see her again.

"I was wondering when I would run into you again," said Henry Avery, "so when I heard about this festival I had to come check it out." Avery acknowledged the growling dingo. "Hey boy!" he waved at him, kneeling to his level in order to pet him. AC/DC seemed taken aback by this, sniffing Avery's hand before he allowed the strange-smelling person to stroke the back of his ears. "See you got a pet since last time we met. I got one too."

The cloaked figure behind Avery growled.

"Not you!"

Looking over in the direction of the familiar voice, Joan blinked upon seeing Avery shuffling forth from the her crowd of adoring fans. Eyes widening, she pointed at him. "It's you, Eyepatch guy!"

"His name is Henry Avery." Roadie corrected, shaking his head.

"We saw your Jolly Roger on that ship at the docks. Honestly, I'm pretty surprised to see ya over here, Eyepavery!" She declared, smiling at her fellow Super Rookie. Despite their little interaction, she did recall that he was a pretty chill person and from the various rumors she had heard in passing, seemed to be a capable guy.

"Don't just combine his real name and your nickname!" Roadie scolded his sister, knowing it fell on deaf ears.

Despite her inability to call him by his real name, he didn't seem overly perturbed. This wasn't the first time someone had been incapable of remembering it. "I came to watch you play actually. Last time the concert got interrupted, so I'm hoping to see a full set this time. Oh yeah, allow me to introduce you to my friend." He gestured to the cloaked figure standing behind him. "This is Saul. He's my bodyguard. Hasn't left my side since he joined the Everything Pirates. Super loyal fan. Also, another fan of your music, albeit a more recent one."

Saul took a few steps forward, giving Joan a quick bow. "Nice to... meet you." Every word sounded difficult to get out, like it physically hurt for him to speak. Avery gingerly pat him on the arm, recognizing how much energy that must have taken out of him. AC/DC had gotten a whiff of the goliath as well, and now found himself cowering as he covered his eyes with his paws and laid down on the ground.

Looking over Saul, her eyebrow furrowed at the sight of him as she realized how similar he looked in comparison to the experimented people on Robben Island. Knowing Kazuko, it only made sense in Joan's mind that this person was a victim of his weird experiments. Fortunately, it seemed like he was out of that situation and it certainly raised her opinion on Avery a bit. "Don't bow before me, big guy! I'm awesome but I ain't fuckin' royalty."

With a raised hand, she simply smiled at him. "Knowing that ya like my music is enough for me."

Saul raised his head, his mannerisms now seeming more embarrassed than anything. "Sorry," he quickly said, "and thank you."

"So, I'm curious," said Avery, "your crew had mostly the same lineup last time we met. Where'd you get a dingo from? He seems awesome."

AC/DC was still cowering, but seemed to now be coming out of his shell. Saul was a lot more gentle than he initially was perceived.

"From an Isle of Dingoes." Joan answered straightforwardly. "We found 'em amongst the other dogs there and he seemed pretty attached to us plus the fact he helped out in a fight I got into with a marine. So, I decided he was a cool damn canine and took him with us. Ain't that right, AC/DC?!"

The dingo, with the encouragement of his captain, got to his feet and barked emphatically, snuggling up against Joan's leg.

"Well, seems like 'a cool damn canine', indeed," said Avery. "I got a pet of my own I don't think you've had the chance to meet yet."

He held back the lapel of his shirt, the lock held there shifting from said form into that of a snake. It coiled around Avery's neck, draping around it like a scarf. He wasn't a particularly large snake, but he was certainly an affectionate one. "His name's Varys. Be careful though, he's only been properly trained to not bite me or my first mate, and he's venomous."

Tilting her head, she stared at the serpent as it slithered around Avery's body with affection. "Huh, a lock snake. That's pretty kickass. A Devil Fruit attached to an item would be pretty awesome... Maybe I should get one of those."

"You just got a dog. Maybe you should take care of that before moving on to such a creature." With the might of a stern mother, Nagasaki shut that idea down before it could take flight.

"Jeez, I'm not irresponsible. I could take care of it!" Joan complained, looking at Nagasaki with watery eyes. Upon seeing they weren't moving her in the slightest, the young musician looked away while loudly clicking her tongue in frustration.

"You are incredibly reckless in what you'd get though..." Roadie muttered, silently agreeing with Nagasaki.

"Gi hi hi hi!" Avery laughed. "You know, I don't think I've had the pleasure of actually meeting the rest of your crew, just that Anna girl. What happened to her?"

At the mention of Anna, Joan's mood deflated. Despite the time which had passed since her departure, the subject was still somewhat sore for her. Sighing loudly, she scratched her head for a moment. "Well, she ended up having to go back home. Apparently, there was a lot of drama going on there and she didn't wanna involve us and left with Seiryu. It sucks but she promised to meet us again."

"Oh..." Avery saw how the mere mention of her had affected Joan. Now he was scratching the back of his head, himself. "Hey, sorry to bring the mood down. Didn't realize there was bad reason she wasn't here." He tapped Varys on the top of his head and he returned to his lock form.

Joan waved off his apology, looking annoyed. "Unless ya cause her to leave, there is no need for you to say sorry. She left for her own reasons and I'm still here. The best thing I can do is succeed in my goals and dream, no matter what."

“That’s quite the ambition you have there.”

That voice would come from behind the large crowd gathered at the entrance of Grand Festa as everyone moved aside swiftly to make way for a white haired man wearing a top hat accompanied by a muscular giant of a man who appeared to be a Fish-man. There wasn’t a single person living on this island who wasn’t aware of the identity of the man at the front as he was the one who even made Grand Festa’s existence even possible.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, my dear guests” The man greeted them with a charming smile as he slightly bowed towards the Sea-Stars. “My name is William E. Oscar, the mayor of this town, but feel free to just call me Oscar.  I was also the one who made the agreement with Dexter to schedule your performance here today so I’m glad to see you made it” He said looking at Joan and then Gray.

Oscar’s eyes would then drift to the captain standing next to Joan, recognizing him almost immediately as his smile widened a bit.

“It seems we’ve been graced with the presence of another big time rookie” He noted as several residents began gossiping among themselves about being able to see both Joan and Avery. Counting the stranded captain they had encountered earlier today, this made three notorious rookies that had come to Grand Festa in the same day. A coincidence? Or perhaps fate?

Regardless, it could only lead to more profits for the island as Oscar hid his greedy smile behind his charming face and inclines his head toward a nearby restaurant that was rather large and packed full of tourists and residents with a dolphin cut out hanging at the top of the building.

“I’m sure you all must be famished from your trip. Please, enjoy the food we’ve prepared for all of you” He offered.

"Food?!" With shining eyes, Roadie looked over in hunger. Having helped row the Bad Reputation over to Grand Festa, the man was extremely hungry after such a physically-demanding task. "Yeah, let's go do that!"

Joan stared at Oscar with a surprised expression. Wait, you're the mayor of this place?! Damn, you look a lot better than I imagined." Within her mind, she had expected the mayor to be a portly man with wealthy attire and a bald head. At the very least, she was correct in his attire. "Anyways, it's cool for ya to hire us for your concert. I'll be sure to blow you out of your bridges!"

"Britches." Nagasaki corrected.

"Britches!" Joan said without skipping a beat.

AC/DC was panting happily at the mention of food, letting out a couple of yips.

"Sounds, good," said Avery, "mind if we join you. We've got a lot of catching up to do."

"I'm fine with that." Joan replied. "Hear about what stuff you've been up to since the Fyre Festival would be pretty awesome."

"Excellent." Oscar nodded, turning to the large Fish-man behind him as he introduced him to the group. "This is Sojiro. He usually acts as my bodyguard but he'll be your escort from here on out to show you all around and make sure the residents don't get too... comfortable with you all" He worded the last part with a level of awkwardness that indicated that something had happened before that required an escort as even the cool faced Sojiro looked disturbed by his meaning.

"Follow me." Sojiro said stoically as he walked towards the restaurant, expecting both parties to follow him as he gave his boss a curt nod while leaving him. Oscar waved at the group leaving before he would turn towards another direction, smiling as he spotted a familiar face and went to speak with them.

"A fishman, huh? Wonder how Globo is doing..." muttered Joan as she followed after Sojiro with the rest of the Sea-Star Pirates behind her.

"You wanna know everything I've been up to since I we parted ways?" said Avery, "well, that's gonna be a long story. Definitely need to get comfortable for that."

Sojiro would lead the group into the large restaurant as several customers parted ways for the special group that was being escorted by the protector of Grand Festa. Sojiro greeted those that called out to him with curt nods as a female waiter approached him and bowed.

“Welcome to the Oceans Venue, Sir Sojiro” Her tone was respectful and polite as she smiled at him. “Are these our guests?”

Sojiro nodded, glancing around the restaurant as if he was looking for someone. “Has the boy also arrived?”

The waiter seemingly understood who he meant immediately and pointed to a rather large table near the back that was spread out with various kinds of seafood that would make one’s mouth water. Someone was apparently stuffing their face behind the large gathering of food as plates were disappearing rather rapidly.

“Indeed, he arrived a short while ago and as you can see, he’s been rather busy” She giggled at that last part as Sojiro nodded and beckoned the group to the table. The customers seated around the restaurant began looking towards the group led by Sojiro as they recognized the faces of both Avery and Joan and quickly began to gossip among themselves, with some even taking pictures.

When the group arrived at the table, Sojiro would speak towards the person still eating.

“Morning, Joey. I see you’ve regained your energy if you can stuff your face like that”

The man called Joey would cease his feast and look up from the table, smiling as he waved at the Fish-man.

“Hey man! Your a real lifesaver letting me eat here for free, I really owe ya big time” He finally stood up and was prepared to thank him with a fist bump before he spotted the group behind Sojiro. “Oh, are these some friends of yours?”

It would take a minute before Joey would recognize the faces of both Joan and Avery as the memory of Dr. Kazuko’s Island took shape in his mind and he pointed at them with a surprised expression.

“Ah! It’s you guys!” He shouted as everyone in the restaurant turned to focus on what was happening.

"What the-Pretty boy?! What are you doing here?" With great suspicion, Joan eyed Sojiro as she wondered if this was a ruse like that which drew them into the Fyre Festival on Robben Island. After all, this was almost exactly how it started, with her meeting Avery and Joseph.

"Yeah, that's crazy. It's like a reunion... So many options to choose from." Despite his words, it was evident Roadie wasn't paying attention with his head buried in the menu before him.

"Close your mouth at the very least. You could fill a pool with how much you are salivating." Nagasaki said in disgust.

"Joey!" Avery called as he walked towards the pirate captain. "It's been so long!" He sat right down next to him and clapped him on the back. "How ya been, man? Been getting enough to eat? Gi hi hi hi hi!"

"You know it." Joey returned the man's clap on the back with a fist bump as he glanced back at Joan to answer her question with a sheepish expression. “Heh, funny story actually. See, I got separated from my crew during a crazy storm and luckily wound up here after it passed. I thought I’d die from hunger before Jiro over there found me passed out in the forest” Joey explained.

“I was out patrolling at the time” Sojiro answered. “He was practically dying from hunger and exhaustion and would have surely died if I hadn’t stumbled up him”

“That’s for sure. That’s a feeling I never wanna go through again” Joey shivered at just remembering how painful it was before he shook his head to change the subject. “Anyway, I’m really surprised to see you guys again. Last I heard, you guys were making some pretty big waves during your adventures.” He opened up a seat for Joan and the rest of the Sea-Stars to join in as there was plenty of space for everyone to sit and eat.

“Dig in and tell me all about it.”

"Hm, alright." Knowing Joey wasn't meant to be here alleviated some of her paranoia, especially when recalling that Avery came here to see the concert on his own volition. Grabbing a chair, Joan flopped into the chair to the left of the yellow-haired pretty boy and crossed her hands behind her head. "I can tell ya what I've been up to since we've last meet up."

"It's really been crazy guys," said Avery, "I got two more ships now, my own island, another allied crew, and my bounty's gone up to Beli427,000,000! Business has been booming as they would say, but I don't mean to interrupt. What've you been doing, Joan?"

Saul hadn't sat down at the table, instead deciding to crouch down next to it. He was a bit too big to sit down, and even if he wasn't, he didn't want to risk poking anyone with the protrusions hidden beneath his cloak.

"Chaos. Nothing but chaos and music." Roadie replied, shaking his head.

"Hey, that's not my fault! I just choose to go to these places for fun and it's like fate is drawing bullshit towards me." Joan justified, sticking her tongue out in defiance. Granted, there were times she didn't make it any better but it wasn't like she was gonna back down. "Anyways, we went on vacation and got attacked by assassins, kicked their ass straight to hell. After that, we went into the sky where we fought and befriended some winged guys as well as getting my new guitar and fighting against this weird demon dragon. From there, we recorded a music video but ended up getting attacked by a group of marines and getting AC/DC!"

"There were the various concerts and events we attended as well." Nagasaki said, softly smiling.

"Oh, those as well. Not sure how much our bounty has increased. Maybe if someone wasn't so lazy about it, we'd know." With a shrug, Joan leaned back.

"Wow, you guys have been through alot huh?" Joey said as he threw his arms behind his shoulders and leaned back into his seat. "I've been through some stuff but they all pale in comparison to what you guys seem to have been doing. Maybe I'm just unlucky" He sighed, wishing that he'd be able to experience more exciting adventures after reuniting with his crew.

"Well, I can worry about that later. You guys are hosting a concert right?" He turned to Joan and the Sea-Stars. "You can bet your ass I'll be there. I'll finally get a chance to hear if you and your crew are really as good as they say" He teased.

The building's doors flipped open and he clanking of clean bottom shoes could be heard across the marble floor. Kuzma made his way swiftly through the restaurant, the first stop he made on the island since arriving due to the lack of food on the sailboat when he decided to depart from the rest of the crew.

His straw hat bounced up and down on his back, as with each step it lifted up slightly. The signature piece to his infamy alongside his blank white-haired had carried his name across many of this sea's waves. His gazed faced forward, but the sensations along his body caused him to shift his neck to the area of the restaurant that was occupied by the Sea-Star, Tempest, and Everything Pirates.

Each of the captains of these crews were rookies of the current generation, so of course Kuzma had heard of them. Three gathered in one place was one thing, but it was who he had ran into that truly surprised him; Henry Avery.

"!!"

Kuzma's eyes became locked onto the figure of Avery. "Avery..." Said the white-haired pirate captain, his words stretching as the floated across the restaurant to the ears of Avery.

Avery leaned back in his chair. He gave Kuzma a shit-eating grin as their eyes met. "Hey there, Kuzma," he said, "been even longer since I last saw you. You here to see the festival, too?"

Despite Avery's more cordial words, the tension in the room was palpable. Saul stood up and turned towards Kuzma, stepping between him and Avery as he growled at the white-haired pirate.

"Calm down Saul," said Avery, "there's nothing to be worried about. Kuzma's a friend. Taught me an important lesson a while back. How ya been?"

A flash of the events of his past played in his head on replay. That important lesson was reminded to him, but he hadn't cared much for it. It was the grin and how carefree he was that bothered him the most. He unfolded his arms and held them down to his side.

He looked into the eyes of the beast--definitely not Saul's. He had already traced Avery's figure and now he was stuck studying it. The two may have had different mannerisms, but they had the same dream; Become the King of the Pirates. "Come for a festival? At a-" His eyes shot across the way at Saul. He remembered the beast stepped forward before.

"Festivities at a moment like this?" His eyes fell back to Avery and his nose stiffened. "Stand down, ingrate." His words clearly for Saul.

"You didn't learn anything from that day." Now to his captain.

Saul growled, taking a step forward.

"Saul!" Avery called, stopping the behemoth dead in his tracks. "You're not what he says you are."

The beast seemed to let out a pained sigh, stepping to the side.

Avery cocked his head to the side, his smile still not leaving his face. "Do you still break your fingers every time you punch something?"

Joey watched the exchange between the two captains, noting that the tension in the room had taken a nose dive the moment they spotted each other as he slid over towards Joan and whispered to her.

"Sooo I'm just gonna take a swing and say the two of them have some bad history together. Any idea what happened?"

Munching on a handful of nachos, Joan shook her head while keeping her eyes focused on the duo. Much like Joey, she could feel the tense atmosphere between Avery and Kuzma, and it was heavy as hell. "No fucking clue. I was gonna ask if you had any idea."

Breaking fingers was the last thing on his mind. "We both sought to achieve the title of Pirate King." Kuzma thought to himself, Avery's carefree personality was much different from their initial meeting. It had been nearly a year since the two of them last seen each other and in all of that time, there wasn't one that stood before Kuzma and claimed to want the throne--only Avery. It was what made him stand out as an opponent.

Emotions mixed and clouded judgement. His feelings regarding the situation on the Xros Pirates were still fresh/ After all, he wouldn't have dared to land on Grand Festa had didn't depart from his crew. He wasn't only lost geographically, but his heart was as well.

Shiguma lied to him. Memories of his former captain and even the words of the World Government claiming he'd be the next to attain the title replayed. Then, Shiguma's face became replaced with the smirk of Avery. Right after another one of Saul's growls.

Then a flash. Kuzma phased out of existence from a single step only for his body to reform almost phantom-like, but unlike his initial pose. If there was anything Avery would have been able to remember from Kuzma's skillset, it was the overwhelming speed he possessed and since their last meeting, it had only gotten better.

Now, his hand was up and despite the size difference between himself and Saul as for as body went, Kuzma's striking hand was balled into a fist and several times larger than Saul was. Nearby tables and chairs were crushed under the fists size and his striking force causing a drift in the wind to follow his fist.

As Kuzma's emotions rose, Avery's eyes glowed a brief red. His smirk didn't falter. If anything, it seemed to only get wider. Debris and dust were kicked up as a bright light filled the room. Kuzma would feel his fist hit something solid, but it wouldn't be flesh, something much more sturdy in fact.

A blue field of energy had been erected around Avery and his party, with the commodore of the Everything Pirates acting as its epicenter. His normally turquoise eyes (or more accurately, eye), glowed a radiant blue. Avery had done a lot of growing in the last year. At first, his ship manifestations were more random, only appearing when he was in dire need of their power. But now, he could create them whenever he well chose.

And through it all, Avery still continued to grin. "Gi hi hi hi! Did I really push your buttons that bad?" He laughed to himself. To Avery, it was more like a game, the tension between them. He wanted to see just how angry his mere being could enrage the pirate. The purely negative effect Avery had on this man's emotional state, he hadn't seen since his last fight with his brother. He actually wanted to see if he could get him to throw a punch at him, but using his Devil Fruit power as well was a massive bonus.

"I'm just trying to enjoy my lunch and catch up with some friends," he put his arm around Joey, who he had sat down to, a show of camaraderie, before picking up an apple off the table, "no need to get so violent." He took a bite.

"Friends?" Flashes of Pugalski, Kane, Trickshot, Reach, and many others strolled down his lane of memory. "Maybe, I should..." His large hand went up into the air, but never before seen it had broken up into six smaller versions that now hovered over Avery's forcefield like the heads of snakes.

"Take them away!" He said with a bit of force, twisting his leg to have the fist-like appendages punch at Avery's barrier.

"Kuzma!" Reagan's voice rang in Kuzma's head.

"!"

His eyes widened and his appendages disappeared. Stuck his place, he could feel the chill of Reagan's voice crawling throughout his body. The people of the bar were still in shock from the exchange between the two pirate captains and continued to stand by in silence.

Left foot pivoting next to his right one, he turned his body around to perform a one hundred and eighty degree spin. He tossed his arms over his chest and headed over to the bar. Taking up a seat he faced the bartender and began to put in his order.

The glow in Avery's eyes disappeared, as did the force field. He removed his arm from Joey's shoulder and straightened his back up again. "So, where were we?"

With the loud yet swift skirmish coming to a close, the once lively table had become silent as the tense atmosphere lingered in the area. However, Avery's voice acted as the catalyst which snapped them out of their shock. Joan, with her nachos long forgotten amongst the drama, slammed a hand down upon the table. "Back up! We can't just move past whatever the hell that was like it's nothing! Who was that emo-looking guy and what's his beef with you?!"

"He was looking at you with a lot of hatred. It seemed personal but unless you killed his whole family, I can see why he's mad at ya." Roadie added on, glancing between Avery and Kuzma.

"What a troubled young man" Sojiro noted as he had been prepared to step in had the fight escalated beyond that brief skirmish but was thankful nothing serious had occurred. He was confident in his own strength as a master of Fish-man Karate but was still very wary of the aura the white haired man had given off and the abilities he had briefly displayed.

"Are you all familiar with him?" The Fish-man asked.

"Nope, never seen him before till this day. Seems like Avery over here has some prior history with him though" Joey said as he joined Joan in her curiosity towards getting to the bottom of whatever that was as he stared at the one eyed captain. "You mind sharing with the rest of the class why this place almost became a battlefield?"

"Oh yeah," said Avery, "that's Kuzma. We fought around a year ago when he was with the Xros Pirates. We came to blows because we both wanted to be Pirate King. He actually won the fight, so I don't know what he's so angry about." Avery chuckled to himself as he took another bite out of the apple, continuing to speak as he was chewing. "He's clearly gotten stronger since the last time we fought. His fist didn't get that big before. Although, I've obviously gotten stronger myself."

"If he kicked your ass, then why the hell is he so mad at you being happy? Is he that type of guy who expect you to never move on till you've surpassed him..." Thinking on it for a moment, Joan shook her head upon realizing that logic didn't make any sense. The emotions that were displayed on Kuzma's face weren't that of a bitter rivalry. Honestly, it didn't seem like he was truly looking at Avery but something else that sparked something violent. There was another possible answer...

"Are you sure you guys aren't former lovers or something?" She proposed with narrowed eyes.

Nagasaki immediately smacked Joan on the back of her head, causing her to hiss in pain at the sudden strike. "I doubt being romantically involved would invoke such a response. Well, unless it ended horribly..."

"Don't you start as well." Roadie said in a deadpan voice.

"Gi hi hi hi!" Avery laughed, "nah, we only met the one time. And besides, I'm not gay. Although, even if I were, I'm sure he wouldn't be my type. Dude's already got a massive stick up his ass anyway. Gi hi hi hi!"

"...Seems you've been since the last time we've met huh?" Joey smiled as he stared at the retreating figure of Kuzma in the distance. If he was strong enough to defeat Avery, he must have been someone to keep an eye out for and inevitably, someone who would definitely be a contender for the Pirate King.

Grabbing a cup, Joey raised it into the air as he stared at the various pirates gathered at their table. "Let's dig in and have ourselves a fun time!"

"Here! Here!" shouted Avery, lifting up a cup of his own to clang against Joey's.

"Eh, can't let the mood get down. Might as well celebrate before my concert!" Joan exclaimed as well, slamming her own cup against Avery's and Joey's. However, despite the festive mood returning, she couldn't help but glance over at the bar where Kuzma was at. The guy might be a moody jerk who went around attacking people but it seemed like there was something weighing him down hard.

Unfortunately, she wasn't one to pry and it seemed like the cross-scarred fellow needed to work it out himself a bit.

Looking over at Gray, she took a swig of her drink. "Wonder where the hell Dexter is... Figured he would be here to greet us by now, ya know?"

"Knowing him, he's probably somewhere enjoying what this place has to offer" Gray shrugged as he downed another cup before digging into his own food.

"We've got a big day ahead of us so make sure to eat your fill captain" His eyes gazed over at Joey and then at Avery as he smiled amusedly at how they chowing down. "You don't wanna get outdone by your rivals do you?"

"Rivals? Don't be silly, Gray." Joan exclaimed, tilting in her head. "I don't have any rivals and besides, nobody is gonna beat me to my goal after all."

"Really? No rivals? I find that hard to believe," said Avery, taking a bite out of a taco. "Even if you haven't met them yet, somebody probably shares the same goal as you." Avery stopped chewing for a moment as a thought suddenly came to him. "Sorry about this Jo, but I don't think I asked you what your goal was the last time we ran into each other."

"Even if they do share the same goal as me, they'll never reach it before I do." Joan said brazenly, not an inch of doubt on display. After all, in her mind, there was nobody as dedicated nor within the same realm as she was when it came to the goal she set. "As for what it is, I'm gonna become the Greatest Musician of All Time and host a concert on wherever the hell the One Piece is held at. Whether it be the past, present or future, there'll never be anyone like me."

"Ah, so you wanna play a concert at Laugh Tale," said Avery. "Well, you certainly have your work cut out for you."

"Yeah but if I'm gonna reach the summit, I've gotta do the most to get there." Joan shrugged, giving a cocky grin. "Couldn't give a damn about the treasure there or being Pirate King. That's what you guys wanna do, right?"

"Hell yeah!" said Avery, "maybe we can all go there together. Joey and I can duke it out over the One Piece. And maybe you can film it for a music video. Gi hi hi hi hi!"

"There's something else that I want but discovering the Pirate King's treasure is definitely on my list of things I wanna do" Joey chimed in, his eyes drifting to the various posters within the restaurant that highlighted other famous pirates that were clearly revered on this island. Daddy L. Legs and Daikaku were at the top expectedly as two of the strongest pirates in the world and below their posters were other notorious big shots such as Cain D. Abel, Goldie Gold and Umori Kenshiro were even seen. Even Jack, who was a warlord sanctioned by the World Government, had his own fan club and it truly showed how much the people of this place admired and looked up to pirates or even ex-pirates.

"Well, if we're gonna make it to the end we're gonna have to surpass our predecessors huh? If not in strength, at least in popularity" Joey chuckled.

"Well I'm certainly expecting to surpass all the pirates to have ever sailed the seas," said Avery, "that's what it takes to become the King of the Pirates." He took a sip from his cup. "But power and popularity aren't all it takes to become Pirate King, ya know?"

"I'd assume so. Ya guys need to have the drive to reach the summit of Pirate King. If you don't even have that, then you are just fucking about with your dick in hand and ego in the other." Joan pointed out, eating a handful of nachos. "Nobody is gonna roll over for someone with that kind of goal. You gotta hit 'em and keep moving forward."

"Certainly," Joey agreed wholeheartedly as he reclined into his chair for added comfort. "Whether one aims to become the best musician or the Pirate King, there exists a common trait between these aspirations, and that is the unrelenting willpower and determination to pursue them."

"Hit the nail on the head, guys," said Avery. "It doesn't matter how naturally talented you are, what kind of body you were born with, or how lucky you can be. None of that means jack if you don't have the willpower to make your dreams a reality." He clenched his fist at the thought. He didn't know what the One Piece was for sure, but it was what he desired. And when he had it, his true dream would finally be within reach.

Roadie let out a low whistle, clearly impressed. "Didn't realize there are people out there who were so likeminded as Joan over here. But aren't the two of you competing for the same goal?" Looking between Avery and Joey, he recalled from Robben Island they both wanted to become the Pirate King.

"Ain't that gonna cause some conflict?"

"Of course it is!" said Avery, wrapping his arm around Joey's shoulder as he pulled him closer, like a friendly, half-hug. "Doesn't mean we can't have a little bit of friendly competition. Gi hi hi hi hi!"

Kuzma finished the liquid in his glass and pushed the seat out. He slowly wiped his mouth and faced the group as they were within their conversation. However, due to all of them being as loud as they were, the conversation was practically open for anyone to join. Pirates sure did know how to prove they were present.

"Friendly competition?" Kuzma scoffed. "There's nothing friendly about the competition to becoming the Pirate King. People lose their lives chasing that dream and you sit here and speak as if its a game and joke. The broad," he said referring to Joan, "I can understand her tongue, but the two of you, I just don't see it. And again," His gaze fell upon Avery, "Avery, this is beneath you."

Kuzma was now much more energized than before. He had gone literal days without eating or drink since departing from the Infantry Force and now that he had filled his stomach, he could feel his energy and strength coming back to him as well.

Bones cracking could he heard underneath his mink coat, but his body didn't move in the slightest. Then, eight appendages appeared, but this time two of them slammed into the ground and buried underneath the foundation of the restaurant. The other six appendages slithered through the air once again, but their mouths were replaced by the crease of his hand and his knuckle. Unleashing strikes at both Avery and Joey during their comforting discussion, he called out.

"Yodo Yodo no Barrage"!

Kuzma's emotions were running high once again. It made him easier to read. Avery's speed and reaction had since increased since their last meeting, yet even so, Kuzma could move faster than him. Fortunately, the pirate commodore had another ability in store, one that helped bridge that gap. And it was thanks to his master's pummeling that he was able to manifest it in this moment.

Avery's eyes glowed red once again, the force field he had created before forming around himself and Joey, Kuzma's attack hammering against it from the outside. It wasn't just a field that was incredibly durable, but one that redistributed the kinetic energy across its surface. Avery never ceased to be amazed by the genius that came from his first officer.

"Are you really that determined to start a fight?" said Avery, that devilish grin once again appearing on his face. "So what if I treat the journey to One Piece as a game. That's what it all is. That's what it should be to men like us. After all, the Pirate King isn't just some title held by the strongest pirate. No, the Pirate King is freest person in the world. So they shouldn't be a slave to the journey to get there. It should be fun! Gi hi hi hi hi!"

Avery's laughter ceased. The field began shimmer, as suddenly Avery and Joey seemed to be disappearing. "By the way, I didn't tell you what I learned that day. If there's an enemy before you that insists on fighting, you don't have to fight them alone."

Just as Avery disappeared, becoming completely invisible, Saul came from Kuzma's side. He blitzed him like he was the wind, itself, using the speed granted to him from each of the many Lineage Factors that made up his being. He aimed a punch to the pirate captain's side, but it wasn't just a normal punch. Not only was the strength enough to easily shatter bones and tear muscle, a spike made of hardened bone protruded from it, having grown longer in comparison to its usual length. He was aiming to skewer the man who dared to attack his captain, twice, in his presence.

Just as Saul's punch was about to connect with Kuzma’s side, a blue figure swiftly moved in between them, intercepting the blow. Sojiro, the Fishman who had remained still until then, blocked Saul's punch and caused a burst of wind with the impact. The restaurant's patrons meanwhile watched the exchange between the island’s guardian and the pirates with rapt attention, eager to see how it would unfold.

Holding Saul's fist in his lightly bruised palm, Sojiro directed a stern look at both Saul and then at Kuzma. "That's enough," he said firmly. "If you wish to continue this scuffle, please take it outside the restaurant. You are causing trouble for the owner."

Although fighting on Grand Festa was not forbidden, it was only encouraged outside of residential areas. Oscar, the mayor, had made it clear that he would not tolerate any property damage caused by brawls.

Avery seemed to appear out of nowhere, with Joey becoming visible once again as well. He put his hand on Saul's back, gingerly, as if he was trying to not hurt himself from merely touching him. "Don't get mad at Saul," he said, "he was defending me. He's my bodyguard after all. We didn't want to start anything while we were here, we just wanted to have a nice conversation with some friends and have a nice meal." He flashed a smile towards Kuzma.

Too bad for Sojiro, the rules put in place by the Mayor didn't apply to Kuzma for one simple fact--Kuzma was a pirate. "I see," Kuzma said, flashing a bright white light off of his being that would have temporarily blinded the group, but would immediately die out after.

At Kuzma's left, his right, and even behind him, perfect copies of himself appeared. They all took up the pose that Kuzma did, his ability to create clones of light was one that caught many off guard and came as unexpected. "You did learn and that much I can account for, that's why even when I'm alone I'm never alone."

The two light appendages that buried their ways underground originally rumbled directly under Joseph and Avery's feet. At the moment of least expectancy, the appendages would pop out of the ground like moles in an attempt to ensnare the two captains while off guard. This was all while two of his clones departed from his left and right through a single step of Soru only to reappear at Saul's sides.

Each of them placed their hands in front of them in a striking motion to unleashes a two-handed strike at Saul's left and right ribs. This was their, or well Kuzma's, Yodo Yodo no Cannon.

"Enough!" Joan shouted, slamming her foot atop the table as she pulled out Sun Goddess and strummed the instrument with fierce intent. Playing a loud guitar riff, a thunderous blast of sound resonated through the area as the onlookers flinched in pain at the unexpected noise. However, as the soundwave passed through the Kuzma's clones and light appendages, the structure integrity of the constructs was disrupted as none met the target they desperately sought and dispelled into mere light particles.

"I don't know what beef ya got with Avery and quite frankly, nobody here gives a flying fuck." Rubbing her eyes from the earlier flash of light, Joan snarled at Kuzma. She leaped down from the table and slowly made her way over to the cross-scarred teen. "If ya'll want to settle whatever bullshit you have, then listen to the Soji and take your lover's spat outside because you ain't gonna ruin my fucking concert with your shitty dick measuring contest!"

Disappearing in a single step, she re-appeared before Kuzma and stared up at him with fiery eyes and golden pupils. "Unless you want to try your shot at me and unlike Avery, I'm not gonna be as nice..."

A whistle could be heard coming from a few feet behind Joan as Joey expressed his surprise and respect for Joan's bravado in the face of Kuzma who didn't seem to care much at all about stirring up trouble in a foreign place. He had already dodged the appendages that had intended to ensare him and was moments away from launching his counterattack but it seemed the Sea-Star pirate captain had already beat him too it as he lowered his hand that had been gathering wind pressure within it.

"Your captain's got balls" Joey remarked to the remaining Sea-Star pirates. Gray, who watched the scene from his seat, wore a smirk, although he was poised to help his captain at a moment's notice.

"She's got bigger balls than most men," he added with a hint of amusement.

Avery jumped back after Kuzma's continued assault, but he didn't move to counterattack. He really wasn't interested in fighting Kuzma, especially not in an establishment like this one. Right now he just wanted to catch up with friends and fill his stomach. Not to mention, he wanted to give Saul a break from guard duty. He remembered all the times he and the Ramshackle Pirates would go out to different bars and establishments and just have a great time. But Ramshackle had always taught him that, even though they were pirates, it didn't mean they needed to disrespect those that served them. Avery's opinion of Kuzma was quickly deteriorating, as it seemed as though he lacked even the most basic of manners.

Another reason Avery hadn't prepared a counterattack was because he assumed Sojiro would jump in, as he had with Saul. And Saul hadn't even started the fight. But Avery's grin started to get even wider when he saw that Joan was the one who interrupted. "Again, apologies for the inconvenience. I just came to have a good time. If I was looking for a fight, I would've brought more of my crew." He patted down and straightened out his clothes, but didn't sit down quite yet. He'd already let his guard down once, and he wasn't going to do it again.

With the mental commanding, Kuzma's clones exploded into a flash of white light. The flashes immediately filled the room blinding those around and once it faded, Kuzma and his clones were nowhere to be found.

Kuzma hadn't come to the island looking for a fight, but his current state made him fragil to his emotions. Sadness and anger mixed together and created the Kuzma that was before them. They had made their intentions clear, fighting wasn't something on their agenda and for the time being Kuzma had chosen to honor that.

"Don't just leave without saying anything, ya douchebag!" Joan roared at the empty space Kuzma once took up, clearly enraged. After all of that nonsense, the fact he didn't acknowledge her with a response or even a glance aggravated her even more. "Next time I see him, I'll give him a good ol' punch in the face. Who the hell does he think he is?! Fuckin' cross-scarred bastard."

With the situation resolved without any major damage, Sojiro relaxed his stance. He took a deep breath and turned to face the owner of the restaurant, who was standing behind the counter. "I apologize for any trouble our guests have caused," he said, bowing towards the woman.

She shook off his apology with a hearty laugh as she crossed her arms. "Don't sweat it, Jiro. Nothing was broken too badly, and it's not every day we get to see a brawl between rising rookies. I'm sure we'll be getting a lot more customers after this," she said with a chuckle. Sojiro lightly smiled in response to the woman's ability to see the positive in any situation. It was one of the reasons he was quite fond of both her and this restaurant.

Sojiro then turned towards the pirates, and his eyes fell upon Joan, who still looked rather annoyed. "You have my thanks, Joan. Despite your size, your heart and bravery are as unbending as any pirate I've ever come across." He complimented.

Still grumbling to herself about Kuzma, Joan paused at Sojiro's words of appreciation to look over towards him before simply shrugging. "Don't worry about it, Soji. I wasn't about to let him fuck about and ruin the vibe of the place before my concert even started. Anyone who pulls that type of nonsense is immediately on my shitlist."

"Speaking of the concert, it's probably best if we go to meet Dexter don't ya think?" Roadie commented.

"Well, with that taken care of..." Avery began, "sorry about the mess, next time I'll make sure we're outside before getting into any fights." He dropped some cash on the table to pay for his meal, with a rather hardy tip as well. "For the damages." He turned back towards Joan. "Well, I think I'll be taking my leave, don't want to psyche you out before your big show. Unless... you have backstage passes?"

"Hell if I know." The musician replied. "I could ask Dexter when I see him. He's usually pretty cool about these types of things. Do you want one too, pretty boy?"

"It's Joey" The man stressed as he sighed at being unable to prevent Joan from sticking that nickname onto him. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he'd shrug as a smile would surface on his face. "Sure why not if it won't be a problem. I'll be able to judge your skills up close then to see if your as good as you are ballsy"

"I believe the man called Dexter should be speaking with the Boss right about now near the stage. I'd be happy to escort you all to them if you wish" Sojiro offered.

"Hell yeah! Lead the way!" Joan exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air.

"It will be interesting to finally meet your boss." Nagasaki commented, interested in the matter. From all of the positive things said about him, she was curious to see what type of person this Dexter was. If he turned out to be someone taking advantage of Joan and Gray, she'd take care of him.

"Very well" Sojiro nodded and proceeded to leave the restaurant after he had finished reimbursing the owner for the damages and saying his goodbyes to the various residents who had greeted him earlier. As they made their way out of the restaurant and were prepared to head towards the area where the concert would take place, a sudden voice would call out to the group from behind them.

"I FINALLY FOUND YOU!"

Sojiro and the rest would turn towards the source, as well various onlookers, as a young girl with spiky white hair and blue eyes wearing a colorful purple and blue punk dress was pointing right at the group. The most noticeable thing about the girl was the guitar strapped to her back as she seemed to be a musician and was glaring specifically at one person within the group of pirates.

"I've been waiting for you to show up, Joan!" She announced the name of the person she had been searching as everyone's attention turned towards the Sea-Star pirate captain and Joey asked the obvious question on everyone's mind.

"You know this chick?"

"Uhhh..." The hamster wheel that was Joan's brain turned as she attempted to recall who exactly this girl was before them. Drawing nothing but a blank, she glanced over to Roadie in search of a possible answer but found herself met with a shrug and look of absolute confusion. Frowning, she thought for a moment while staring at her until her eyes landed on her hair and eyes. Suddenly, it clicked within her head.

"Oh, I know! You are Suzzy's and Yuri's other sister, right?!" In Joan's defense, the mysterious girl did bear features similar to said Marines

"Hah? Who the hell are those people?" The girl looked generally baffled by the names Joan had suggested and once again pointed her finger at the Sea-Star captain. "I have no idea who the people you just said are but that doesn't matter!” She then punched her own palm and grinned wickedly.

“They say you're supposed to be the best young musician on the seas right now. Well I’m afraid that title belongs to ME, so it’s only natural we gotta settle who's the better artist, right?” She selfishly declared.

It took a minute to process but Gray finally seemed to recognize who the girl was as his eyes widened a bit.

“Wait, could you perhaps be Wicked Vicky?” He asked.

“Wicked Vicky?” Joey repeated.

“Hehe, looks like your drummer has more sense than you” Vicky gloated with a proud expression.

“She’s an up and coming artist that’s been making some waves here or there from what I read in the news. Supposedly, she’s quite talented” Gray said with some level of doubt as everything he knew about Vicky was from that newspaper he read a few weeks ago.

“What do you mean supposedly!” Vicky shouted angrily at having her skills questioned before her attention drifted back to Joan.

“Sorry, I should have mentioned that this young girl had been waiting for your crew but it must have slipped my mind during the chaos” Sojiro chimed in with an apology.

"Nah, don't worry about it. You can't be expected to remember every little detail, especially after the scuffle in the restaurant." Joan waved off. "Let's just get to moving. Time's a wastin after all."

Everyone agreed as they began following Sojiro once more to lead them to Dexter while Vicky gawked at the retreating group with a flustered face.

"HEY! Quit ignoring me and get back here!" She shouted and before she could take off to follow them, she would be lifted off the ground by a muscular man who was the owner of a nearby restaurant.

"Did you really think you could dine and dash out of my restaurant and get away with it?" He asked with a frightening smile as Vicky began to sweat and had to worry about surviving this crisis before she could worry about Joan.

Rap God[]

The group would soon be led into the Mayor's Manor and would pass a few corners before arriving at a door that was labelled as a temporary guest room for Dexter and his group.

"Here we are. Your employer should be inside" Sojiro said.

"Thanks for the help, Soji!" Immediately, Joan kicked at the door, causing it to burst open and loudly slam against the wall. Walking into the room, she excitedly cheered. "Dexter, it's been too long! Ya see how well I've been been doing out there?!"

Dexter and Lucina both turned their bodys with the wind to follow. Maybe Joan could see through structures because her kick at the door allowed for it to not only fly off of its hinges, but slam into the wall behind the two of them right down the middle. An inch or two off its track and that door would have hit Dexter or Lucina depending on the angle.

"Oh right, she's a wilder you..." Lucina said, shaking her head and grabbing her face with her palm.

Meanwhile the older pirate captain couldn't help but laugh. "I have," Dexter said, looking down at a stack of papers before him. "I had just been looking over your algorithm, it's off the charts right now. You're about to catch up to Saweetie soon, at this rate I'm going to lose my spot at the top."

Avery peaked into the room from behind Joan. His eyes lighting up as he looked at the pirate that was sitting in the office. "Oh shit!" he said, "I didn't know that your boss was that Dexter." Avery liked to stay well-informed when it came to the pirate world, and Dragon D. Dexter was certainly one of the biggest up and comers in the last decade. His wanted poster was certainly a valuable one that Avery had in his collection.

"I had a suspicion but it's still a bit surreal" Joey chimmed in as he stared at Dexter, immediately recognizing that he had a rather strong feel to him, one that he couldn't explain but gave off warning signs that he was not a person who you should judge based on appearances alone.

Joan stuck her tongue out at Lucina, before grinning at Dexter. "Come on, Dexter! I'm great but I haven't reached the point yet. Besides, you promised you'd keep the seat warm for me until I've surpassed ya."

From behind, Nagasaki's eyes widen at the powerful aura coming from within the guest room. Despite being clearly restrained, she could still sense the immense power through Kenbunshoku Haki as it wafted . "To think a music producer holds this much power?! Who is this person?!" Taking a peek within the room, her mind shut down upon seeing Dexter and immediately recognizing him.

"That's Yoshitsune's apprentice..." The color drained from her face as her vision blurred and panic began to set in, as hundreds of thoughts raced through her mind. There was no way it was a coincidence that the personal apprentice of Yoshitsune, leader of the Shinsengumi and ally of Fukuoka Koyuki, was running a record label and in direct contact with Joan. Had he been put up to this by his master? Did they know about her connection to Joan?

Too many questions.

Too much of a threat.

Instinctually, her hand went to the handle of Tsukumogami as a spark of purple electricity surged down her sword hand. She had to cut him down now. Even with the gap between them, Dexter was a threat to Joan and she'd be damned if she let something happened to her.

As Nagasaki moved to rush the threat, she felt a hand clasp down on shoulder. Looking over, she was greeted with a worried look from Roadie.

"Something wrong?" He questioned, looking down where her hand was at. "You seem pretty... tense?"

Opening her mouth to warn him about Dexter, she paused. "I can't just blurt out that kind of thing. They've known him longer than me and will believe him over me..." Not to mention, he was hosting a concert Joan was excited for and considering her earlier words, she didn't take kindly to people who interrupted anything that involved music. She would have to confront him later and figure out why he was truly here.

"It.. It was just something I ate." She said, giving a strained smile. "I just need a moment."

"Alright..." Shrugging, Roadie decided to take her word for it.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce ya. This is Avery and Joey." Joan exclaimed, unaware of the near conflict behind her. "They are pretty cool guys and wanted to come see my concert. I figured it would be pretty cool if I hooked 'em up with some passes."

Dexter cotinued to give off his carefree body language, but he was far from ignorant. The electrcity sparked around Nagasaki's blade and the charges immediately activate the sensor signals within his own body. A quick gaze and her movements, before she had even made them, all became clear to him.

"Ah," He thought to himself, using body movements to give signs that he was still actively paying attention to the conversation. "And I thought things were going to get a bit interesting."

Cut back to Joan, Dexter held out his arms. "Yo! Yo!" He called out to Joey and Avery. "Joan seems to have some good friends, you two better take good care of her, I can't let anything happen to my star. Hashashasha," he laughed, but he meant every word. If something were to happen to Joan, he wouldn't know what the future of the Label would be, she was the future of it.

Lucina stepped in, "Joan, we've prepared a green room for you where you'll be performing." She began to talk, immediately getting down to business. "We've wasted a few days waiting for you all to get here. There's a sound check you and your band is going to have to do before you go on, please don't miss it, otherwise you'll look like those last couple of fools who blew it on the big stage. Can't have that look on Oceanic's record."

Dexter couldn't help but to add on to Lucina's statement, acting as if he forgot why they were even there. "Lucina's right," He reached behind the desk he had been sitting at and pulled out three duffel bags and placed them on the table. He opened both zippers and pointed the opened end of the bag towards them. "Beli425,000,000 Berri for your payment and overall revenue gains."

"Awesome!" Joan picked up a stack of berri, fanning the bills with a smirk. "Thanks for the cash!"

"Yeah, no. I'll be taking care of that." Roadie reached over and plucked the money from her hands. Ignoring his sister's squawk of surprise, he tossed it back within the duffle bag. "I'm sure Gray can handle his own but Joan, you know as well as I do that you are awful when it comes to spending money."

Joan recoiled in shock, putting a hand over heart in a dramatic fashion. "What?! Name one time I've been bad with money!"

"It'd be harder for us to name the times you haven't been bad with money" Gray joked. ""Don't worry, I'm sure if you behave today, we'll lend you some allowance."

"That's bullshit, I'm not an immature brat!" Joan pouted, glaring at Roadie and Gray.

"Well, you aren't a brat but you are immature." Roadie rolled his eyes, seeing Joan childishly stick out her tongue. "That just proves my point."

Dexter shook his head at the interaction between the Sea-Star Pirates. He reached behind the desk once again, but this time he pulled out two smaller bags obviously with less inside of them and placed them on the table on each side of Joan's bag. He turned to Roadie and Gray.

"Roadie and Gray, here's yours. With the new contracts, you two are now earning your own revenue and it's no longer based on Joan." He opened each of the bags showing their spoils. Much like Joan theirs consisted of money however Gray would have noticed a new set of drumsticks in his and Roadie would find a new jacket with the jolly roger of the Sea-Stars on the back of his.

Lucina held a clipboard and dragged her finger along a column. "Roadie, you've been doing an excellent job at ensuring Joan stays safe during her performances. Gray, people have requested samples of your rhythms without Joan's lyrics requesting exclusively for the drums. You're pretty much an artist in your own right."

"Each bag Beli150,000,000, keep up the good work!" Dexter complimented the both of them.

Gray smiled at his hard earned payment as he grabbed the bag and also recieved the replacement drumsticks they had gotten for him. They didn't hold the same value to him as his previous ones but he was more than glad to finally be able to have a working pair again.

AC/DC, the ever dutiful dingo that he was, began pawing at Roadie's leg, whimpering at the sight of the money. He begging like a dog did for food, except he had already eaten. Food didn't seem to be what he wanted in this moment.

"Hey, is your dog alright?" asked Avery. He had seemed to initially freak out in the presence of the Everything Pirates beforehand, but had quickly mellowed out. Whatever was bothering him now was certainly inobvious.

"Huh, I have no idea. What's the matter, AC/DC?" Roadie asked, placing a hand on the canine's head. "Why ya acting up?"

"Ain't it obvious? He also wants his cut from being in the music video." Joan snorted, nodding.

"You're joking..." Looking down at the dog, he refused believe that was the answer.

AC/DC turned towards Joan at her response, seeming to nod his head before turning back Roadie, continuing to whimper and pant while still pawing at his leg, trying to climb up it to get at the cash he was holding.

"Son of a... Sure, you'll also get a cut as well." Grumbling to himself, Roadie knew better than to argue at this point. It was easier to simply move along and deal with it later. Besides, they needed to buy him a better bed and what not. For some reason, his current one was stretched out like a person was attempting to sleep in it. "But not now. I've gotta see what goes into the ship and supplies before anything."

AC/DC whined, laying down on the floor. He was disappointed by the outcome, but understood why it had to be so.

Avery kneeled next to him, striking his back. "There, there, little guy. You'll get paid soon."

"Well, I'll let you take care of that and AC/DC. Me and Gray are gonna head over into to do the sound check." Joan said, stepping out of the room. While leaving, she gave a mocking grin at her brother. "Ya know since I can't be trusted to handle money."

"Once again, this just proves my point..." Roadie bluntly replied.

"Whatever! Gray, let's blow this place!" Joan exclaimed, leaving the room. Gray would shrug his shoulders as he followed his "mature" captain out of the room.

Roadie on the other hand, stayed as he marveled at his own payment.

"Damn, talk about a hefty load. Honestly, with everything that's been happening, I completely forgot about being paid." Roadie admitted, inspecting his pay with a smirk. "Could celebrate a bit with this. I'd need a lovely lady first though... What do you say, Lucina?"

Lucina lifted her gaze and locked it on Roadie. The lovely lady he had been referring to was her and she couldn't help but to stare at him. Did he really say those words and did he really mean them? "Try the next one," She said, turning her gaze back to the clipboard.

Clapping her hands together she snatched the attention of everyone present. "Alright, Joan, your dressing room is down the hall. You guys need to go prepare, wash up, do whatever because you'll be going out to the stage soon. Dexter and I have something to do, so we won't be sticking around for this one."

Ignoring Joan's loud cry of "Okay!" from the hallway, Roadie slumped over at another rejection from Lucina. "One day, I'll get ya to say yes to me. Just gotta work on my game..." Shrugging, he zipped up the duffle bags filled with cash and heaved them onto his shoulders. "You heard the lady, AC/DC. Besides we've gotta secure this onto the ship go check out the stage to make sure everything is as it should be before setting up security measures. I've got a feeling these fans are gonna be worse than the average ones."

He briefly shuddered, recalling the one "mega fan" who attempted to steal Joan. Fortunately, they were able to beat the oversized fan but it took a lot to put them down for the count.

AC/DC nodded, walking out of the room to go catch up with Joan.

Without saying a word, his eyes simply darting back towards Dexter and Roadie, Avery walked out of the room to follow AC/DC, Saul moving closely behind him.

Joey would take one final glance at Dexter before he would follow the others out of the room.

"Well that was an interesting encounter" He suddenly said to the group as he threw his arms behind his back. "You guys are going to be rather busy setting up your concert right?" He said as he glanced at the Sea-Star pirates.

"I guess I'll go exploring to see what else this island has to offer. What about you?" He looked at Avery.

"Hm?" Avery whirled around to look towards Joey, almost as if he had been caught in the act. "Oh, just gonna hang out with Joan a little longer. See what backstage is like." He seemed a little bit more nervous at this point. After all, he never got that backstage pass.

"Don't worry about it too much, man. I'll be sure to remind her when I see her." Roadie reassured Avery, walking through the doorway. Looking down at AC/DC, he briefly rolled his eyes at the money-grubbing nature of the dog before realizing that Nagasaki wasn't beside him. Turning his head, Roadie noticed the oriental-dressed woman was staring intensely at Dexter. He raised an eyebrow at that, wondering if she knew the man and if so, what type of beef Nagasaki had with him.

"Hey, Nagasaki!" His loud cry snapped the woman out of her state, drawing her attention to him just in time to catch one of the duffle bags. "Come on, let's go. Need your help with taking this to the ship."

"I-!" For a moment, she looked between the bag and Dexter before sighing. "Very well.."

"Awesome. I'll see you at the stage later, boss man."

Dexter tossed up his shoulders and shrugged them, "Wait, Joan, you heard Lucina, I won't be here." He said, turning towards Lucina. "There's something important I've gotta attend to." Unbeknownst to the rest of the group, Dexter had been chasing a lead regarding Bryant D. Kobe and the Cloud Pirates. There was someone close to Kobe that Dexter needed to get in touch with.

"So, I won't be able to see you in action." He finally ended, tapping his finger on the desk.

Lucina quickly chimed in. "Don't worry about it though, Joan." Lucina's pen went to tapping against the clipboard. "You're in good hands here. Xander will be at sea close by ensuring the security of everything around. And you've got your boys too."

Down the hallway, Joan paused at Dexter's words. Unable to hide her frown, she really wanted him to be here to see how far she had progressed as a musician. After all, the man had invested so much into her and despite hearing her dream, accepted it for what it was. Clicking her tongue, she shouted. "Fine, I'll let ya take care of your business but ya better be there for the next live performance! GOT IT?!"

With her piece said, she continued down the hall with an edge in her step.

Dirty Work[]

"Alright... Alright! I'm going!"

Avery was curious what it was like behind the scenes, so he decided to sneak in. He thought that acting as if he belonged would prevent the need for active stealth techniques, but Saul really stood out like a sore thumb. It didn't take long for them to get caught and thrown out. More accurately, they had shoved out Avery. Saul had to follow Avery out of his own volition because every time one of them tried to touch Saul, they'd hurt themselves. Avery could've easily fought back, but there wasn't a point in risking the destruction of the stage. He knew what he wanted, and that was a full concert from the illustrious Sea-Star Pirates. If anyone was going to get in the way of that a second time, it wasn't going to be him.

Saul patted Avery on the back, causing the commodore to chuckle. "I'm not that upset," he said. "Jo will probably realize we're gone soon. Either she'll come find us with those backstage passes or I'll sit on your shoulders during the show. Besides, I'm certain we can find her for the after party. There's always an after party. In the meantime, let's get a better look around the rest of the festival. Haven't been to one of these in a while. And I'm sure you remember what the last one was like."

Saul nodded his head. It certainly wasn't a pleasant experience for anyone involved, but Saul couldn't complain. He'd still be suffering on Robben Island if it wasn't thanks to the so-called Signs of Calamity.

Avery put his hands in his pocket as he began to stroll through the island.

Not far from them, just out of eyesight, with his scent and identity hidden by the various smells of food and merriment on Grand Festa, stood a man, watching Avery from the shadows. "I've got you this time..." he mumbled to himself.

"Excuse me, sir?" said a vendor. "Are you going to order anything or not?"

"Oh yes, sorry. I'll take two funnel cakes, extra sugar on top."


Even though it smelled delicious, Avery had already stuffed himself during lunch. Perhaps fighting Kuzma wouldn't have been a bad idea, as it would have allowed him to work off some of his meal so that he could eat some more. Of course, eating wasn't the only thing one could do at a festival.

"Oh hey, check this out!" Avery gestured towards small tower with a bell at the top, a hammer resting on its side. The tower had multiple ranks, including "WEAK", "REGULAR", "MAN", "REAL MAN", and "HERCULEAN". "Strong man test. These things can be pretty fun."

"Step right up! Step up right!" called the stall runner, "See if you're really man enough to sail the Grand Line!"

A man, of significant size and muscle, had just given it a try, barely reaching "REGULAR", before the bell beater floated back down to the ground. He sighed, walking away with a disappointed woman by his side.

"Better luck next time!" The gaze of the vendor shifted, catching sight of Avery and Saul. "You two over there! Why don't you give it a try. If you hit the bell, you win a prize!"

"Hm..." Avery tapped his chin. "What kind of prize?"

"Well, you could win a stuffed animal from the top shelf! Just Beli10."

Avery looked towards the top shelf. It was full of giant stuffed animals. Nothing particularly interesting. There was a red panda, a chimp, a weasel, praying mantis, owl, llama, black jaguar, dog, even a dragon. But none of those ones seemed to really interest him. But one stuffed animal drew his eye for some reason: a lion with a magnificent mane.

"Alright," said Avery with a grin. "Hey Saul, why don't you give it a try?"

"Sure, big fella. Knock yourself out!"

Saul shuffled to the hammer and tower. The owner of the stall grinned, rather sinisterly. He looked at Saul, still wrapped in his cloak, but saw the way he moved. He may have been big, but he couldn't be any stronger than the last person that had just tried. He was probably in pain. He and his friend would be an easy mark to make a couple of beli off of.

Before Saul even touched the hammer, Avery patted Saul on the side and gestured for him to kneel down. He whispered something into his ear before smacking him on the back and saying "Go get 'em!"

Saul's movements seemed to get even more laborious at this junction. The vendor's grin only seemed to wide. He put one hand on the hammer. And then, in one fluid motion, lifted the hammer and smacked it down on the tower. The ringer flew up, hit the bell, and shot straight through it into the sky.

Stalls and carnival games like this were often rigged. Avery had just told Saul not to hold back.

"Hm, that's a pretty sturdy game you got there," said Avery, looking at the pad as it had been shattered to pieces. "You can still tell what it was. I'll take the lion please."

The dumbfounded vendor simply reached up and pulled down the lion, handing it to Avery.

He snuggled with his new friend. No one would have expected a notorious pirate captain to be so affectionate to a stuffed animal. He didn't grow up with many toys after all. "Thank you!" He and Saul walked away, seeing what the next carnival stall they could mess with would be.

"So, how was that?" said Avery.

Saul thought back to his time on Robben Island, before Kazuko. The island once did have a regular festival, something like the Fyre Festival, except for what it seemed, not what it was meant for. He remembered playing these games with Umbra, chaperoning him and his annoying friends.

"It was... fun..." Saul managed to say.

The pair of pirates spent a great deal of time running around playing, messing with as many vendors as they could before it was time for the show. It was a blast. But the entire time, they were unaware of the man watching them from the shadows, impulsively eating and buying funnel cake.

Kuzma hadn't been too far from where Avery and Saul underwent their "grand adventure". How could they not, even during a festival as big as this, the two stuck out like a sore thumb. Everything that happened earlier became a bad reminder, but the smiling faces of every present had an even bigger impact.

"If you keep running around like that," Kuzma said to the passing Avery and Saul, they may not have noticed him initially, but his voice would have certainly garnered their attention. "You two are going to bring unwanted attention."

Avery and Saul stopped and turned to look at Kuzma. From underneath the sleeves of his cloak, a blade of bone began to grow from beneath it, but Avery held out his hand again to calm his bodyguard, the blade retracting immediately.

"And what about that stunt you pulled in the restaurant?" said Avery, "That certainly would've brought a ton of unwanted attention, wouldn't it? This island's fond of pirates, so any unwanted attention would probably affect everyone here."

He leaned his back against the wall, while still sitting on a short tower of brown boxes outside of one of the small businesses at the festival. Unbeknownst to Avery, Kuzma had exchanged his strength for money and food, two things he had lacked ever since he decided to leave his crew behind on one of his sporadic moments.

"Eh," Kuzma said, shrugging his shoulders. He had been without his feathered coat, but his straw hat was attached to his waist. "At least it was enclosed. "Since you're going around and giving back," He held his hand over the many stands in front of the shop. The boxes had different fruits and vegetables on one side and on the other, merchandise with Joan's face on the front of it in the form of shirts, bottles, pins, and other things that could be turned into profit.

In fact, Kuzma's lack of coat made his shirt even more visible and it wasn't his normal one. Instead, he donned an all white t-shirt with Joan's face and her guitar on the backside similar to a jolly roger. "You should buy something from here."

Avery began stroking his chin as he looked at Kuzma's items, as well as the shirt he was wearing that promoted Joan. It seemed out of place for the young pirate, at least given what Avery knew about him, but he wasn't in a mood for asking too many questions. He wasn't even too interested in learning where he had gotten all these products to represent the Sea-Star Pirates. Even if he didn't make it, himself, they were pirates after all. He did have one question though.

"What kind of merchandise do you have?"

"Tch," Kuzma stood to his feet and pointed at the items. "Don't fuck with me, Avery." Though his words possessed aggressive, Kuzma showed no signs of acting the same way. "Shirts for the dumb music festival for the chick at the bar and clearly she's your ally and other stuff to aid in the promotion."

Seriously, Kuzma felt as though Avery were indirectly trying to make fun of him. "The owner forced me to wear this, I could have kept on my coat. You buying or not?"

"Just shirts, huh?" said Avery, still stroking his chin. It seemed as though he hadn't picked up on the fact that Kuzma thought Avery was making fun of him. "You got any in extra, extra large? I'm pretty sure Saul wants to rep his favorite band."

The large monster of a man nodded his head in agreement.

Kuzma growled at Avery and Saul, before tucking behind the stand where there seemed to be an underneath area and he pulled out to boxes and pushed them in front of the duo. Opening the flaps on the boxes Kuzma revealed other types of merchandise. Spinners, sweaters, hoodies, socks rested in the first box. Then, in the second box, figurines of Joan and other members of the Sea Star Pirates.

"Don't say anything," Kuzma said, holding up a chibi figurine of Rhoadie and Joan in front of Saul and Avery. "It's limited edition..." Kuzma said in shame, "Once this supply here is gone, there won't be anymore."

Avery started stroking his chin again, looking intently at the figurine. He wasn't much for getting collector's items, but there was also the possibility of him being able to resell the figure for a great price down the line. Especially when he had a nice spot to put all his valuables. "I'll take it," he said, "and the largest size hoodie you have. How much is that gonna cost me?"

"He's big," Kuzma said, digging into the boxes for a size that would fit saul and placed it onto the table. "Beli3,5000 and that's a good deal. The figurines are going for Beli50,000 each." He placed all three items on the table before the duo. "Literally, that's all I could do."

The last couple of hours had been spent going back and forth with customers about the prices of things. People were being, but not without trying to bargain first and it was a skill Kuzma simply didn't take the time to learn. In most cases, he felt as though people were trying to get over on the old lady and he had taught each and every one of them a lesson. The Avery situation would have been different.

Avery made a sharp exhale as he placed his hands on his hips. "You drive a hard bargain," he said, "but what's the point of having money if you're not gonna spend it?" He took out the cash from his pocket and placed it on the table, taking the goods Kuzma had provided. "Pleasure doing business with you."

Avery handed the T-shirt over to Saul, who immediately began putting it on over his cloak. It was a tight fit. So tight in fact that he had already punched a few holes in it around the shoulders with protrusions that the much looser cloak still hid. Saul turned to Kuzma and let out a pained, "Thank... you..."

"Now then, I think it's about time we head over to the stage. Still don't want to miss the Sea-Star's concert, after all. See you around, Kuzma. Hopefully next time we meet you won't immediately try to beat the crap out of me. Gi hi hi!"

Festival Song[]

Having listened to Lucina's orders, Joan and Gray had gone to the aforementioned dressing room and were immediately bombarded by a pair of hired make-up artists. After being thrust into a set of chairs where they were cleaned up and dotted over with various cosmetics, the duo was swiftly shoved into a dressing room and given new outfits at the behest of Dexter. After a lot of shouting and a swift punch to an unfortunate stylist who attempted to take Joan's signature hat, the musician were finally allowed to leave and make their way towards the stage.

"Fuckin' hell, I forget how these guys get. I swear one of 'em tried to get fresh with me." Joan grumbled, adjusting her hat while walking down the hallway. "At least the clothes are pretty cool."

"I guess. They really went all out with the production huh?" Gray noted as he checked out his new clothes that were quite flashy compared to his usual attire. Unlike Joan, Gray was helpless against the pleas of the stylists request for him to remove his beanie hat and let them style his hair a bit and he relented, scratching his now visible brown hair that still retained its usual disheveled look but was at least now trimmed properly.

Stretching his arms, Gray turned to his captain who was still a bit grumpy.

"Speaking of "cool", running into all those famous stud rookies was a crazy coincidence huh?" Gray said as he recalled the faces of the trio. "You got Avery, Joey, and even that nutjob Kuzma guy all here at the same time as us. Who could have expected that?"

"It is pretty unexpected..." Joan admitted, rubbing her chin in thought. While Avery was kind of a given since he had been quite excited to see her preform on Robben Island, Joey's appearance was due to circumstances of his battle at sea. As for Kuzma, she couldn't really give a shit given his douchey attitude. "It does make me more excited to put on a better show though. Show 'em what I'm made of, ya know?"

"You got that right" Gray smirked, feeling a bit excited at having the chance to show off against their rivals. He then suddenly remembered the face of the girl from earlier who had challenged Joan as he cupped his chin.

"I wonder what happened to that girl though? Vicky I mean. She suddenly showed up declaring you to be her rival so I guess that's another person you gotta worry about. From what I heard, she's got some banging guitar skills" Gray recalled.

"The white-haired chick? Until I see her play, she's not really on my radar. After all, rumors don't mean jack until you see a person's skill." Joan proclaimed, shrugging her shoulders. "Though, I think she was at the restaurant. Can't exactly recall what happened to her..."

"Well, if she's really anything special I'm sure you'll see her again" Gray shrugged as the duo continued their trip towards the stage, the faint noise of the crowd entering their ears as they finally reached their intended destination; the front stage prepared by Oceanic Records. Gray would notice a drum set already set up for him behind the curtain as he inspected the equipment and nodded in approval.

"Fucking A, I couldn't ask for a better set-up" He grinned as he began preparing himself for the show and turned to his captain.

"You wanna do quick test run before the show-

"HEY!"

Gray was cut off before he could finish as a boisterous voice came from the other side of the stage and a familiar face that the Sea-Star duo had just met not too long ago now stood glaring at them with her arms crossed.

"And speak of the devil" Gray snide with a somewhat surprised look. "You still have business with us?"

"Damn right I do!" Vicky shouted as her attention seemed solely on Joan who she deemed as her rival. "We've gotta score to settle and now that the distractions are gone, we can get down to it!" She pointed at her with a wide grin as she grabbed the base of her own guitar strapped around her shoulder, indicating she was ready to play right now.

Tilting her head with an annoyed expression, Joan crossed her arms. "Bitch, instead of just coming at me like I owe ya something, how about you start explaining what your beef is with me. Granted, I'll beat ya in a music battle no matter what but still."

"Fine, I'll tell ya what my problem is with you" Vicky began as she stepped closer while her gaze remained fixed on the Sea-Star pirate captain. "I've been busting my ass to make a name for myself on these seas all in the hopes of one day being signed to Oceanic Records, the most banging record label on the market. I've played for countless stages and clawed my way to get to this point and yet..." She gripped her hands tighter until they balled into a fist. "I've never been able to get a MEETING with any of em let alone an invitation! And why? Because it seems all they ever seem to talk about nowadays is YOU!" She shouted as she pointed her finger right at Joan.

"So that's why today I'm going to ROCK the house and prove that I'm better than you in front of Dexter so that I'll be the face of the label" She grinned as she puffed out her chest full of pride, ignoring the strange looks coming from both Gray and Joan.

"Huh, so that's what this is about." Gray said amusedly as he rested his chin over his palm. "You sure are popular, eh captain? You've got guys and gals obsessed with ya." Gray teased.

"Don't make me punch ya in the face, smartass." Joan remarked, a vein popped on her forehead. "Look, from what it sounds like, this is a skill issue on your part. I've been at this for a while now and I can tell you right now, that attitude you've got there? It's gonna be the downfall of your career before its even gotten the chance to take off. People are talking about me because they like me, my music and what my music makes 'em feel."

Cracking her neck, she leveled Vicky with an irritated gaze. "You can put in all of the concerts ya want but if the people don't love ya or your songs, then all of that efforts for nothing. It means jack fucking shit."

Under that intense gaze, Vicky shrunk back down a bit as she was clearly intimidated by the pressure radiating off of Joan but tried to maintain her pride as she put on a tough act.

"Y-You don't know what your talking about!" She snapped, although it was obvious that she had taken what the woman had said more seriously than she let on judging by the fidgeting she was doing with her fingers and mumbling to herself.

Gray was quick to pick up on it as he narrowed his eyes and came to a realization when he saw that. "Wait, is she...?"

"A-Anyway, I'm not leaving until I can play against you! So that's that!" She shouted again with no intention of backing down.

"Hey captain, why don't you humor her?" Gray suggested, earning a surprised look from Vicky who didn't expect him to support her challenge. "I mean, she doesn't look like she's the type to take no for an answer so the easiest solution to this problem is to show her the difference between you with your own skills, right?" He said.

Looking over at her first mate, Joan sighed while scratching her head. She wasn't ignorant enough to deny the truth in his statement and it was the easiest route. "Yeah, you are probably right. Stubborn people like this only listen to action, not words."

Pulling her guitar from her back, she twirled the instrument before catching it with a smirk. "Alright, let's get this show on the road!"

"Really!?" Vicky's asked as her face changed from anxiousness to genuine excitement and happiness at Joan accepting her challenge. She must have realized how she looked to duo however as she quickly coughed to regain her composure and crossed her arms, her cheeks reddening a bit in embara

"I-I mean, of course you did. As expected of my rival" She nodded to herself as Gray couldn't stop himself from chuckling watching the scene unfold.

"There, now that it's settled why don't we see which of you two can shred up the stage more during this performance? It's only right to let the audience decided whose the best, don't you think?" Gray suggested. "Of course, I'll also be a judge if you don't mind"

Vicky had no issues with that and nodded. "Heh, fine by me! You might be her crew mate but that won't stop me from showing you that I'm better"

Gray hummed in interest, approving of the confidence of the woman. "That's quite the claim" His gaze then turned to his captain. "You fine with those terms?"

With a cocky grin, Joan replied. "Of course! Talk about a repeat, it'll be another battle of the brawds!"

"Looks like it, hopefully we don't have to deal with marines crashing the party again" Gray chimed with a shrug as Joan and Vicky began their preperations for their music face off that was sure to be a battle that would rock the audience to their core.


It didn't take long for the heart of Grand Festa to be teeming with excited tourists, fans, and the island's regular inhabitants, all eagerly awaiting the performance of the renowned musicians scheduled to take the stage today. The atmosphere was electric, with the anticipation building as people chatted and speculated about what the show might have in store for them.

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the island, the stage came to life as several lights were aimed at the center of the stage where a beautiful woman with blonde hair wearing a red dress revealed herself. The crowd, mostly men, roared in approval at the woman known as Olivia, who was seen as the most beautiful woman on the island, as she smiled and addressed the crowd with a microphone in her hand.

"Thank you all for coming to today for this once in a lifetime event!" She began, her voice both clear and smoothing. "Before we begin the festivities, let us hear some words from our very own beloved mayor, Oscar!" She shouted as the crowd began to clap and cheer for the most famous person on Grand Festa to appear.

And appear he did as he stepped out from behind the curtain and received the microphone from Olivia as they exchanged nods between each other before Oscar raised the mic to his mouth.

"Thank you, Olivia, for that warm introduction," Oscar began, his voice deep and charismatic. "And thank you all for joining us on this beautiful evening to celebrate the vibrant culture and spirit of Grand Festa! As you all know, our island is a place where drifters and outlaws with nowhere to go can come and enjoy life. I'm sure you've all faced your own struggles and have had a difficult time reaching this point but you can cast your worries aside for today as we are all here to enjoy ourselves! Ain't that right!?"

The crowd's cheers became even louder as Oscar's charming words resonated with the people he called his family.

"Alas, I cannot take all the credit. This event was only possible thanks to the contributions of a good friend of mine who I'm sure your all familiar with. Please, give a warm round of applause for Dragon D. Dexter!" He called out as another round of applause and cheers sprung forth from the crowd. "Unfortunately, he could not stay longer and had to return on important business but rest assured, his absence will not deter today's wonderous events we have planned for you all!" Oscar concluded before handing the microphone back over to Olivia, who accepted it gracefully and continued where he left off.

"Now then, why don't we start the show with an opening performance by a rising star in the music industry who aims to take the stage by storm! Give it up for Wicked Vicky!" She introduced as the curtain opened to reveal a widely grinning Vicky who ran forward and aggressively grabbed the mic from Olivia.

"HEY! YOU GUYS READY TO GET LIT TONIGHT!?" She screamed as several of her more dedicated fans roared in agreement and had come to Grand Festa mainly to support her. Vicky was glad to see the response as she turned to Joan and Gray backstage, flashing them a smirk before she began strumming on her guitar to produce a funky rock beat that was amplified by the drums of a pre-recorded beat she had the technicians play. The crowd seemed to love it as they began grooving and clapping on beat while Vicky continued to strum on her guitar with a level of focus and skill that very few musicians could match on these seas.

Gray watched the girl perform with a surprised look as he stood near Joan backstage. "Well damn. I guess she wasn't all talk after all huh?" He was honestly impressed.

"Hmmm... Can't deny that she has a pretty sick beat." Joan looked on with crossed arms, watching as Vicky played for the crowd with intense fervor and rhythmic movement. "Still, she can only go so far with that alone. Lyric tell a story and without that, people will lose interest in your music."

As if hearing what Joan said, Vicky began to change her tune as she changed the pace and rhythm of her strumming as she stepped up in front of the placed microphone and began singing while still playing her guitar.

"I'm chasing my dreamsss, breaking the mooooold~!"

"A story untold and a future so boooold!~!"

"I never back down, I reach for the gooold~!"

"My heart is on fire and I can't be controlled!"

Her voice was both pleasing to the ears and dynamic enough that it suited a wild girl like her as she matched her the rhythm of her guitar with the lyrics of her song. Even Vicky's die hard fans, who had never heard her sing before, were stunned. They were more familiar with her guitar-focused performances that aimed to dazzle audiences. As she poured her heart out on stage, thunderous cheers erupted from the enthralled crowd while Gray blinked in surprise at Vicky's unexpected singing ability.

"Well shit. She must have been saving this as her ace in the hole. And judging from the crowd, it's working." Gray noted, he himself finding the performance rather captivating if he was being honest. It almost made him doubt whether she wasn't lip syncing as it was hard to believe such an aggressive woman could possess such a pleasing voice.

As she listened to the lyrics and how they synched up to the beat of the song, Joan couldn't hide how impressed she was. Letting out a low whistle, everything about the performance had certainly ramped up. Every piece of the song flowed together in harmony and reached out to the crowd, sparking excitement within them.

"It doesn't make sense though..." Joan pondered, focused on the show. "She's good. Not on our level but she's around the point where I was when I grabbed Dexter's attention. So why hasn't anyone tried to sign her to an agency?"

"I think I can answer that."

Joan and Gray would turn to see none other than Oscar, the mayor of Grand Festa, approaching them from back stage as he was accompanied by Sojiro behind him. He stopped in front of the Sea-Star duo and glanced at Vicky from behind the curtain with an amused smile before addressing the two curious musicians.

"You see, I did some digging on Vicky before hiring her to perform today, and I found out that she has turned down quite a few number of initiations to join record labels. While none of them have the reputation of Oceanic Records of course, they were all rather famous labels that have produced several stars that I'm sure you've all heard of once or twice" Oscar explained before his gaze returned to the singing Vicky.

"I asked her before why she had turned them all down and do you want to know what she told me? She said 'There's only one company I'll ever work for because there's a certain person there I want to recognize my effort". Isn't that just adorable? It seems she was quite inspired by you, Joplin Joan" The mayor smiled widely at recalling the woman's words.

Gray seemed to fit the pieces together almost immediately as he smirked. "Huh, so that's what this is about. I thought I suspected something earlier when she made that face at you when you scolded her and now it makes sense" He said, throwing his hands behind his head. "So all that talk about wanting to challenge you out of jealously was just hot hair eh? What she really wanted was your acknowledgment. I guess she's just too proud and embarrassed to admit it" Gray chuckled, finding the truth to be rather funny and sweet.

"I always figured there were people out there who wanted my recognition but I didn't think it reached this far..." With a new perspective on the matter, Joan unknowingly smiled at the realization that Vicky's actions were only done in an effort to seek out her approval. There was something about it that she couldn't help but find endearing. It certainly didn't help that watching her felt like she was looking in a mirror from the distant past, doing her best to show who she was to the world.

"I don't feel bad for what I told her though. She definitely needed to hear that at some point." She doubled down on the matter, not showing an ounce of guilt. "However, I can definitely see her going far. Of course, she won't be bigger than me but world-wide for sure."

"Humble, aren't you?" Gray chuckled as he leaned his elbow on Joan's shoulder and continued to watch the performance of Vicky pouring her heart and soul on stage. It wasn't long before she finished her song and the crowd went wild, showering her with both applause and cheers as she grinned widely at the reception and flashed a "V" sign towards them in appreciation.

"What a marvelous performance!" Olivia said as she walked back on stage while speaking into the microphone. "Let's hear one more round of applause for Vicky!"

The crowd responded in kind and clapped once more as Vicky bowed before leaving the stage as Olivia continued on with the show. Passing through the backstage corridor, Vicky would be swarmed by a few backstage workers who were clearly impressed with her performance. She thanked them and waved them off, looking to get some space and cool herself down after such a passionate performance.

"That was a splendid performance, Vicky."

Vicky immediately turned around to see none other than Oscar, the mayor of Grand Festa, smiling at her as he was walking towards her.

"T-Thank you sir..." Vicky said a bit bashfully as she was a bit embarrassed when it came to being praised by someone with such authority, especially when that person had personally gone out of their way to invite them to perform.

"I think your performance even impressed your senior" Oscar said mischievously as Vicky raised her eyebrow at that statement, wondering what he meant before she noticed Gray and Joan approaching her from behind Oscar.

"Hey, not bad at all Vick" Gray praised with genuine respect and admiration in his tone. "You've got some real talent."

Vicky crossed her arms and huffed, regaining her haughtiness as she failed to hide the pink hue in her cheeks at the praise. "W-Well duh, I told you I was amazing didn't I?"

Oscar and Gray traded amused looks between them before everyone's eyes fell on Joan who hadn't said a word yet, especially Vicky as she wondered how the Sea-Star captain had thought about her performance with a nervous glance.

As everyone awaited for a response from Joan, the rock star simply said nothing as she continued to walk towards Victoria with a neutral expression. The brim of her military hat casted a shadow over her eyes, preventing anyone from seeing nothing but her lips. "..." Stopping just before the white-haired singer, she stood there for a moment.

"You..." As her words hung in the air, she lifted her face to reveal her bright red eyes and a megawatt grin spread across her face. "You're not half-bad!" Letting out a loud boisterous laugh, she smacked her hand on Vicky's shoulder. "I'll admit I thought you were spewing nothing but hot air but that was an awesome performance! Talk about a show!"

Vicky blinked, momentarily stunned as she took in Joan's words and grin that seemed to light up the room. There was no one whose approval mattered more to Vicky as Joan had been the entire reason she had become an musician in the first place. Her heart soared with joy as she tried to hide her embarrassment as the Sea Star captain patted her on her shoulder.

"R-Really?" Vicky stammered a bit as she looked away and bashfully rubbed the back of her head. "You... you really liked it?"

"Gurahaha! Don't make me repeat myself." Pointed at the cheering crowd, she continued. "Ya got the mark of a real musician and the crowd seems to agree with me. That roar of joy and excitement they are unleashing is because of you. If you don't believe my words, at least believe that."

"...I will. Thank you, Joan" Vicky answered with a genuine smile that surprised not only Gray but Oscar as well as all of her smiles before had been filled with arrogance and mockery. Seeing her like this made them realize that underneath her rough and tough exterior was still the heart of a young girl who had just been looking to impress the person she looked up to the most.

"Well, I'm glad you all managed to become such great friends but alas, the show must go on" Oscar interuptted as he pointed towards the stage as Olivia was already preparing to welcome the next group of performers, which just so happened to be the Sea-Star pirates.

"It's finally our turn huh?" Gray smirked, pumped to perform after witnessing Vicky's own inspiring song.

"Good luck. I'm expecting a great show after what Dexter told me about you two" Oscar said before leaving in order to return to his seat.

"You guys better kill it out there after I got the crowd pumped up!" Vicky stated after having returned to her usual boisterous self, although it was obvious that she was really looking forward to seeing them perform as well judging by her excited expression.

"You heard the lady." Gray chuckled as he had already began stretching his neck before turning to his captain. "Shall we then?"

"Hell yeah!" With clear excitement, Joan held her guitar in hand at the ready. "Time to give the people what they've been waiting for!"

Back on stage, Olivia had just completed the transition to the next act. The crowd was brimming with excitement, eagerly anticipating the performance of the most beloved duo at Grand Festa.

"Without further ado, allow me to introduce our stars for tonight's show! You know them! You love them! Let's give a resounding welcome to the one and only, the Sea-Star Pirates!" Olivia's voice resonated from the microphone, triggering a thunderous applause as Joan and Gray stepped onto the stage. They waved to the enthusiastic crowd, smiling and taking their positions.

"WE LOVE YOU, JOJO!" A group of girls, adorned with hats and waving glowsticks, shouted from the left row. The Joplian Joan Fan Club, boasting one of the largest followings at Grand Festa, were arguably the most excited attendees, eager to witness their idol perform live.

"KNOCK 'EM DEAD, GRAY!" This time, the cheer came from a mixed group of boys and girls in the right row. As members of the Tony Gray Fan Club and passionate drumming enthusiasts, they were there to cheer for Gray.

Olivia walked over to Joan, handing her a microphone with a smile. She signaled that Joan was free to address her fans before they commenced their performance.

Accepting the microphone, Joan loudly addressed the crowd. "Wassup, everyone! Ya'll enjoyed that show, right?! How about we give Vicky another round of applause for that musical talent?!"

The crowd responded in kind towards Joan's request as they once again adorned the stadium with thunderous cheers all geared towards Vicky. Gray's eyes glanced towards the curtain backstage where he saw Vicky bashfully rubbing the back of her head with a flustered expression, clearly having not expected the second round of applause.

"She's much cuter like that" Gray noted in his mind with amusement before he focused back on stage as the claps died down for Joan to proceed.

"Hell yeah, that's what I love to hear! Who knows, we could probably collab in the future..." Joan loudly pondered, smirking at the idea of a musical team up with Vicky. Being able to create and spread new songs throughout the world caused her to get all giddy inside and it only made her more excited to play.

"But that's a thought for another day! For now, it's time for me to put on my show!" Sliding the microphone into the stand in front of her, she strummed Sun Goddess as an electric riff resounded through the area. "Are you ready?!"

Suddenly, from the back of the stadium, a series of explosions went off, drawing the crowd's attention away from the stage. Shouts of surprise turned into screams of panic as a group of what appeared to be pirates emerged from the smoke led by a daunting man at the front.

"Sorry to cut your little concert short, but we'd like to cut in!" roared their leader, a broad-shouldered man with a vicious-looking scar running down his face. His voice echoed around the arena, silencing the crowd's screams as Gray narrowed his eyes at the group that had ruined their performance.

"Great. And here I thought we'd finally get to do a concert without trouble for once." He groaned.

With her right eye violently twitching, Joan stared at the sudden interruption to her concert and the attack on her fans. At this point, she was starting to some higher being was just screwing with her.

"Who the fuck are you bozos and why the hell are you attacking during my concert?!" She snarled in frustration and rage.

"Ya got some damn nerve girl, saying some shit like that! Don't you know who our great boss is!" One of the henchmen behind the supposed leader barked as his boss raised his arm to ease his anger before he stepped forward.

"It shouldn't matter who I am. All you need to know is that your little concert is at an end. We'll be the ones taking center stage if ya don't mind" He grinned as he snapped his fingers, causing several of his men to cheer as they began firing their guns and weapons throughout the crowd, causing more mayhem and panic to spread throughout the area.

"Bastard" Gray's anger was boiling seeing several fans of his being shot at while running away as he already had his drumsticks at the ready and stood by his captain. "You ready to teach these losers some manners?"

"Like always!" Joan replied, heaving her guitar onto her shoulder as it roared with raging flames. Her line of sight didn't waver once away from the captain, her rage being further fueled by the cries of her fans as they fled the area. "You made a huge mistake coming here today and I'm gonna be the one to beat it into you!"

"You hear that boys? The little munchkins over there are gonna beat all of us up!" The man laughed as his henchmen roared in jest as they clearly weren't taking them seriously. How could they? When you looked at the numbers disadvantage, they had them completely overwhelmed.

"Do you really think you can stop all of us with just the two of you? Look around ya. And this isn't even all of us!" He boasted as he spread his arms out wide.

"Who says its just the two of them?" A voice cried out from behind them as Vicky stepped forward and now stood with Joan and Gray as she directed a fierce glare towards the leader of the pirates. "You have no idea who your fucking with you shit stain."

Gray blinked at seeing her step up to the plate before his smile returned. "Well shit, the more the merrier I always say. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in seeing what you can do in a fight."

"Gurahahaha! Way to step up, Vicky!" Joan exclaimed, roughly patting the white-haired girl on the back. "She ain't the only one though! You think I'm the only big name on this island?!"

Swinging her guitar, a cascade of flames spread across the area as she maliciously smiled. "You choose the wrong time to attack this place!"

There was a soft whistle, growing louder by the second. The sound originated above the encroaching soldiers. Had any of them looked up, they would've received a face full of cannonballs before they suddenly exploded on top of them. They were expertly aimed, so as to not harm any of the civilians around or cause too much property damage. The manner of attack seemed altruistic, but the motive was completely selfish.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are...!" Avery shouted, walking over with Saul in the opposite direction of the fleeing crowd, "...but I will not let you cheat me out of a concert from the Sea-Star Pirates a second time! You can either leave now, or leave later in body bags!" There was a certain level of anger in Avery's voice, but it came across more as simple annoyance. Yet his threats he gave with a tone more reminiscent of saying a fact as opposed to giving a threat.

And then, out of the dense smoke caused by the cannon fire, a fierce current of gust would send dozens of pirates flying in different directions as a blonde haired youth casually strolled into the area, a smile on his face as he glared at the intruders.

"Hope I'm not late for the party," Joey said as he began to crack a few of his knuckles. "You guys must be either really brave or just stupid to attack at a time like this" He warned, joining Avery in his annoyance at having the concert ruined by such a stupid group of outlaws.

"You rookies just keep popping up like damn cockroaches" The captain muttered before he decided to stop mincing words and raised his hand into the air, giving his henchman the signal to attack. "Spare no one!"

"YEAH!" They screamed, charging in various directions at the rookies around the concert as they ignored the civilians who were still fleeing.

"First come first served!" Gray said as he wasted no time and jumped into the fray, slamming his drumsticks into the ground that caused an explosion as countless pirates were sent flying.

"Your first mate is just as wild as you huh?" Vicky said to Joan as she prepared to join in momentarily.

"Of course he is! I wouldn't have chosen him if he wasn't!" The red-eyed musician replied, letting out a belly-aching laugh before leaping after Gray. "Come on, we can't let him have all of the fun in teaching these bastards a lesson in messing with us! "

"Saul..." said Avery, his bodyguard, still dressed in his new Sea-Star Pirates shirt, turned towards his captain, "...I'll be fine, take care of them."

Saul nodded his head. The ground seemed to immediately crack under his weight, his legs swelling as he prepared to battle. And in an instant he was gone. The ground where he had once stood there was now a crater. And barreling through the concert crashers as they approached the rookie pirates was Saul, like a rhino charging through a wheat field.

It was practically all out war as bodies were sent flying and gun shots and explosions could be seen coming from all around the arena. What the rookies lacked in numbers they more than made up for in individual strength as each of them proved they were more than capable of handling the overwhelming amount of pirates.

The captain stood in the back, watching the spectacle as he honed his attention on the various rookies across the battlefield, as if choosing which one he would personally go after. His eyes would befall Joan, captain of the Sea Star Pirates, and the blonde youth not too far from her, the one known as Joey.

"They'll be the first to fall" He declared as he unsheathed his greatsword from his back and charged forward, his speed rather impressive as he made a B-line straight for Joan and Joey.

Gray, among kicking a pirate in the face, would notice this as he called out to the duo. "Hey captain! Pretty boy! Heads up!" He shouted.

Joey would be annoyed at having that embarrassing nickname thrown at him before his attention snapped towards the charging pirate captain who jumped high into the air and was coming down towards him like a falling meteor.

"Impatient aren't you?" Joey smiled as he cast a glance towards the nearby Joan. "You want him or should I...?" He asked as wind pressure began to swirl around his arm as he prepared to fire it straight at the incoming captain but awaited Joan's response as it'd be rude to steal someone's opponent.

"Nah, this bastard is mine. Like I said, nobody ruins my concert and gets away with it." Joan responded, her eyes never once leaving the incoming pirate captain while holding her flaming guitar. In an explosive burst of speed via Quicksilver, she rocketed into the air towards the source of her ire, ready to plunge her instrument into his torso.

"Cone on, ya piece of shit! Let's rock!"

"That's the spirit!" The captain shouted as he came crashing down towards Joan, who met him halfway in the air as their strikes crashed against one another, resulting in a powerful shockwave that shock the area to its core.

Avery jumped into the air, both of his arms transforming into cannons as he flipped, firing down upon the swarming party crashers. The explosions and strikes of the cannonballs, themselves, sent them all flying backwards with broken bones and serious burns. But as he stayed in the air, Avery noticed Joan's state. He couldn't help but smile. "Ya know Joan, I think this is the first time I've seen you fight, too! Gotta say, I'm really glad that I came to your concert!"

"That's a understatement" Joey agreed as he dodged a pirate's punch and delivered a kick towards the head of a pirate, sending him spinning in the opposite direction as Joey landed back on the ground. "Something tells me though that the fireworks are just starting" He warned before jumping back into the fray.

Sparks flew between the two as neither gained any leverage over the other amidst their clash. Clicking her tongue in frustration, Joan acted swiftly as she briefly lessened the strength in her attack, allowing her foe's own sword to move forward. Using the momentum of his own strike, she guided the greatsword away from her while at the same time using tremendous force to spin herself midair, transitioning into a downward hammer strike with her flaming guitar.

The captain who had collided with Joan barely managed to dodge the hammer strike from Joan as he backflipped away from her and caught himself when he landed back on the ground, skidding across the floor. He then quickly dashed forward straight towards Joan, branding his Greatsword once more.

"Let's see you handle this!" Lifting his greatsword into the air, he would plunge it directly into the ground as he summoned a great deal of his physical strength to uproot the rock underneath and would fling a giant boulder towards Joan.

"That ain't nothin'!" Joan roared, cocking her arm back before letting it loose like a bullet escaping the chamber of a gun. With resounding strength, the punch struck at the incoming boulder and shattered it into pieces as smaller bits of rock scattered through the air. "Let me show ya a real threat! Whitesnake!"

With a loud strum of Sun Goddess, the Rocket Dial within the instrument activated as a powerful gust of wind escaped from within, taking on the shape of a white-colored snake. The serpentine construct loudly hissed before slithering through the air towards the enemy pirate captain, intent on crushing him.

"Pathetic!" He screamed as his muscles bulged while holding his greatsword, lifting it behind his head as he summoned an immense amount of physical strength and then in one powerful downward swing, he caused a powerful air projectile to escape from his blade that flew towards the approaching wind shaped snake. The resulting clash sent a powerful shockwave of both gust and energy spiraling outwards as dozens of nearby pirates were blown away by the opposing forces.

Once the shockwave settled down, the pirate captain stood across from Joan as he lifted the sword onto his shoulders and smirked at her.

"Not bad at all. Heh. A pint-sized runt and yet you pack a punch more lethal than a mammoth. What's your secret, runt?" He asked with both amusement and mockery in his tone.

"Breathing exercises and plenty of juice. After all, I'm a growing gal." Joan replied as she landed on the ground, looking over at the pirate with an unreadable expression. "Anyways, the fuck is your deal? What are ya attacking my concert for?"

The pirate captain grinned, his gnarly teeth glinting in the light. He paused, seemingly relishing the moment, before he finally broke the silence. "You got it all wrong, lassie. This ain't about your little shindig. No, we're here to claim Grand Festa! You lot and your concert... you're just collateral." His laughter echoed off the concert stage, spreading into the night air.

"What's more," he continued as he pointed his sword at her, the blade shining wickedly. "We're here to recruit. Anyone who's worth something, we're gonna rope 'em into our crew. We've got the numbers, the weapons, and with this place under our control, we'll have the power."

He leaned in closer, his eyes dancing with mirth. "How 'bout it, lassie? Fancy joining us? We could use someone with your... fiery spirit."

"How about you go fuck yourself?" Joan scowled, her eyes narrowing in anger as a vein popped on her forehead. "Ya think I'm gonna lower myself and my crew to team up with a piece of shit like you? Someone who interrupted my concert and attacked my long-awaiting fans?"

She shook her head, the very notion of such an idea being beyond ridiculous to her. With a fierce gaze, the red-eyed musician slammed her guitar into the ground, making the asphalt crack. "Nah... I'm here for a single reason and that is to play music for my fans. Right now, you are in the way of that. So, I'll give you one last chance... Call off your dumbass invade and leave or I'll do your parents a favor and give 'em a late termination."

The pirate captain recoiled, then laughed, his voice booming over the cries of the crowd. "Oh, lassie, you've got fire, I'll give ya that. But I'm afraid I can't oblige. We didn't come all the way here just to turn tail and run!" He shouted with vigor as several of his men cheered in the back.

He then pulled his sword back, planting his feet firmly into the ground. He gave Joan a taunting smirk before he bellowed, "Now eat this!"

With those words, the pirate captain swung his sword with all his might. The air around the blade distorted, a massive energy surge sweeping through the surroundings as the ground cracked beneath the intense pressure. A deadly gust of wind, sharp as a razor, shot towards Joan, cutting through the air like a voracious beast hungry for its prey.

Joan huffed at the response of her enemy while shaking her head in annoyance, undeterred by the sight of the destructive razor wind. The sound of panic screaming behind only cemented her stance, lifting Sun Goddess out of the ground as she flexed her fingers around the guitar's neck. "Don't say I didn't give you an out, ya fucktard."

With nothing left to say, Joan twirled Sun Goddess like a baton before swinging the guitar like a baseball bat directly into her foe's attack, creating a shockwave upon impact. For a moment, it seemed like she was going to be overpowered until a vortex was formed in front of the instrument, absorbing the deadly wind into the Rocket Dial. In a matter of seconds, the flying slash attack was no more and showed Joan standing there with an intense glare.

In a single stride, Joan kicked up a plume of smoke as she used Quicksilver to jettison forward at breakneck speed. With the distance between herself and her target lessened, she reeled her guitar back before swinging it down in an overhead arc upon the rival captain's head. At the same time, a powerful burst of wind released from the instrument, accelerating the weapon at an even faster rate to boost the power of the strike.

"Under Pressure!" She declared with a roar.

The pirate captain, known as Daven, barely had the time to react to Joan's sudden onslaught. "Blimey!" he spat, barely managing to raise his massive sword over his head to intercept Joan's attack.

The impact was explosive, a deafening crash echoing through the concert grounds as a burst of wind blew dust and debris around. The pirate captain's feet sank into the asphalt, his muscles straining against the sudden weight of Joan's attack. Around them, the audience and pirates alike watched in awe as the two titans clashed.

Joan's flaming guitar, Sun Goddess, made contact with the pirate captain's blade, the destructive power of her wind-enhanced strike causing sparks to fly as the two weapons clashed. Daven's greatsword, once thought to be indestructible, began to crack under the immense pressure, the sound of breaking metal piercing the night air.

"Fuck!" Daven screamed as he could only stare in wide-eyed terror as Joan's guitar slammed into his face, the force of the blow sending him hurtling back. He crashed into the ground, a cloud of dust and debris mushrooming up into the air as a large crater was formed from the impact. His greatsword, now shattered in two, clattered useless onto the ground beside him.

Nearby, Gray grimaced as he watched the entire spectacle of the man being indented by Joan's guitar. "He's gonna be feeling that for awhile." he snarked as the bodies of dozens of pirates laid around him.

"Tsk, what a disappointment." Joan snarled, looking down at the defeated pirate. After listening to him boast, she had certainly expected more from him. On the plus side, it meant that she could get back to playing her concert once more.

"Oi, lackeys of...!" She paused for a moment, trying to think of the pirate captain's name before realizing he never actually introduced himself. With a shrug, Joan continued. "Lackeys of this shitfaced bastard, your captain has been defeated and I'm sure the other named mooks have been taken out as well! So, grab 'em and go before ya end up like him!"

As Joan's declaration echoed across the concert ground, Daven's henchmen who were scattered around the arena turned their attention to the incapacitated captain. Their eyes widened in horror, and the color drained from their faces as they saw the once seemingly invincible captain lying motionless in a crater.

"C-Captain!" One of the henchmen screamed, a terrified tremor in his voice. The rest of the crew was paralyzed with fear, their bravado thoroughly extinguished by Joan's fierce display of power. Their gaze shifted between their defeated captain and the fiery redhead standing victoriously over him. Panic and uncertainty began to ripple through the crowd of pirates as their confident smirks were replaced with expressions of fear and their morale crumbled into dust.

Soon, the silence was broken by the sound of scattering footsteps. Daven's henchmen began to retreat, their shouts of defiance replaced with cries of retreat. "Let's get out of here!" One of them shouted.

A group of burly pirates hurriedly moved towards the incapacitated captain. They huffed and puffed as they managed to hoist his heavy frame on their shoulders. As they moved to retreat, one of them, a man with a scar running across his cheek, turned to face Joan. His eyes were filled with fear and anger.

"This isn't over!" he stammered, his voice barely a whisper. "We'll be back, and next time, we won't be so easy on ya!" With that, they made their hasty retreat, scurrying off to their ship.

"Well that was a bit anti-climatic" Gray said as he walked towards Joan and stood next to her, throwing his arms behind his back. "Think they'll actually make good on their threat and come back for another ass kicking?" He asked.

Before Joan could respond, Joey now stood on Joan's other side with his arms in his pockets, a cool breeze running through his golden locks. "Probably. They don't seem like the types to just take a loss lying down. We could still probably go after them and make sure they got the message." Joey proposed to both Joan and Gray, who he respected as both his rivals and allies.

"Wouldn't be the worst idea honestly" Gray snickered but didn't make a decision as that was Joan's call as his leader. "What do you think, captain?"

"Ugh, I'm not in the mood to chase after those douchebags." Joan admitted, letting out a loud sigh while placing her hands over her eyes. "I'm starting to think I'm cursed or something. Every time we have some kind of big event, it's gone pretty bad for us! Do I attract these weirdos or something?!"

"You do seem to have a penchant for attracting a lot of attention, good or bad" Joey chided with a small smirk, as if he was a bit amused by the dilemma Joan was facing.

"Honestly, I've just come to accept it by this point. No rest for the wicked for rust" Gray added in as he sighed before glancing around as he tried to spot members of his crew. "I wonder how the others are doing"

"Eh, I'm sure Avery and that big guy are fine. If they've gotten stronger since last time, they can handle anything." Joan explained, cracking her back loudly. "We should probably go and find that mayor or whatever... We were paid to do a concert and I ain't leaving till we've done so."

"Don't fret. You and your crew have certainly proved your worth," a voice echoed from behind Joan, Gray, and Joey, causing them to pivot around. Approaching them with swift strides was Oscar, the Mayor of Grand Festa, flanked by his burly bodyguard Sojiro. Sojiro had an impressive collection of unconscious pirate henchmen slung casually over his shoulder.

"It seems your bounties aren't merely for show," Oscar commended them, his smile broad as he applauded their efforts. His gaze then drifted in a particular direction. "And it appears our dear Vicky can also hold her own in a scrap."

As if on cue, the group spotted Vicky triumphantly standing with her foot planted on an unconscious, bloodied man. She threw them a cheerful peace sign, her victory evident.

Oscar couldn't help but chuckle at the sight before turning his attention back to Joan and Joey, his expression sobering. "One of those ruffians mentioned they'd be back. It's concerning, and if there's truth to their words, I would be grateful for your assistance in warding them off again. Naturally, you'll be compensated for your time here, and if there's no sign of the pirates in the coming days, you're free to depart. How does that sound?" He asked, sincerity etched on his face.

Joey shrugged nonchalantly. "My crew's searching for me, so I'm marooned here for the time being. Might as well enjoy the sights," he responded with a light chuckle.

Gray contemplated the offer for a moment. Given they had the liberty to leave whenever they wished, the terms seemed fair. "Sounds find to me. What do you think, Captain?" He asked, turning towards Joan.

"Hmm, I'm down for that. We can check out the sights and meet our fan clubs!" Joan exclaimed, eyes shining in excitement. "It'll be different from meeting groupies and stuff! I wonder if they have a badass name that they call themselves?!"

"I'm sure you'll find out soon enough. Come, let us get you reunited with your crew and sort out this mess" Oscar said as he would lead the group away from the arena, confidence oozing from his body at having secured Grand Festa's defense with the addition of the Sea Stars and the other famous rookies. Something told him that the next attack by that rouge pirate group would warrant having these powerhouses on his side and he could only hope that his premonition was wrong this time.

Over the Hill[]

Avery and Saul were working like a well-oiled machine as they fought against the interlopers. The captain didn't even need to tell his subordinate what to do anymore, he just did it. He charged through man after man, no one able to slow his assault. And those that turned to attack Saul before he could take them down himself, Avery had no problem taking the momentary distraction to take them down with extreme prejudice. Cannonballs, metal ropes, flamethrowerbnhs, even a few lasers here and there, Avery was using his entire arsenal, or more accurately the Sol Arche's arsenal, to take down all these people. But at this point it was simple, Avery was still able to admire the skills of his friends and colleagues. That was, at least until a particularly large opponent made himself known to them.

Boom. Boom!

Boom. Boom!

CRASH!

The thunderous sound of footsteps shook the ground as it launched those unprepared for the odd phenomena into the air, pirates and civilians alike. From above, a large hand made entirely out of stone reached out over a large building before crushing it within their grasp, scattering pieces of debris throughout the area. With the stature of a giant and the body of stone, they towed over everyone around them, looking down upon them like gnats and blotting out the very sun above.

"Cease these... foolish actions..." A sluggish, dull voice echoed from the colossal-sized golem, his expression looking quite vacant. "Join us... or suffer... the consequences..."

Avery and Saul completely halted their assault, finding themselves transfixed as they looked up at the Giant. Neither of them had seen one before, and especially not one made from stone. It was certainly a sight to see. They turned to each other, then back to the Giant. "What consequences might those be?" said Avery.

"It would... be death." Despite the slow nature of his speech, the weight of his words was delivered with swiftness. The empty stare he held shifted, displaying a modicum of seriousness and cruelty. "What shall... you do...?"

Avery looked at Saul again, the rather large man simply shrugging his shoulders. "Sorry, but I'll have to decline your offer. I'm actually friends with Joan. Your whole 'rock giant' thing's cool and all, but I can't exactly turn on her like that. Even if you're so confident you can kill both of us. You can join my crew instead, if you'd like though. You're the first Giant I've actually met... first one that was alive at least."

"Join you...?" The titan of a man repeated, blinking slowly at the sudden proposal. Throwing his head back, a tremor-inducing laugh escaped the man's rocky lips while holding his gut. "BWAHAHA... HAHAHAHA! You must... must be... joking! I would...never leave... my captain...!"

Avery shrugged. "Alright then, your funeral. A shame, you look really cool. Saul, take care of him."

Saul stepped forward, his gray hand coming out from the cloak he was still wearing. A bone protrusion elongated and his entire arm seemed to start vibrating. In an instant, Saul rocketed up towards the Giant's chest. He aimed a strong punch to pierce it with the bone protrusion and then vibrate it from the inside out with his other ability to crumple the stone into pieces. Saul may have been seeing a Giant for the first time, but he was part Giant himself. He was many things in fact, a chimera of various races to take advantage of their positive traits. Of course, this left Saul in a state of constant pain, but made sure to compensate for it with pure power. After all, that was why he was the strongest experiment on Robben Island, and his strength was why Avery thought it was worthwhile recruiting him in the first place.

"Fear me.. for I... am the Summit!" With a loud roar, "Stone Heart" Goran's eyes alit with clarity for the first time since he arrived on the scene. Unphased by the sight of Saul's leap towards him, he raised his high into the air as stalactites began to form across his open palm before raining down upon his approaching foe and those below at a rapid rate. "Rock Rain! The range of the 'rain' far outreached the area Saul and Avery were in, as it pierced through a nearby stone building with ease and dug itself deep into the earth.

Within his mind, Goran simply watched as he was confident in the might of his ACE. Whereas most people believed the Artificial Devil Fruit he had eaten was centered around stones, the true nature was that of granite - a far more durable material. It would take the might of a fellow giant to even crack his skin.

The rock spires struck Saul, sending him back towards the ground, the floor beneath him cracking under his incredible weight. Although the force was great, they broke apart on contact with his skin. It ripped apart his cloak and his new Sea-Star T-shirt. It didn't take long for his true, monstrous appearance to be seen. At which point he looked up at the Giant and roared in rage. He liked that T-shirt.

"Saul, pull back!" said Avery, "just keep him off of me."

Despite the rain of granite, Avery was unharmed. He had erected his force field around himself again, which had proven quite resilient in terms of withstanding excessive force earlier today. Saul seemed mostly in good condition as well, albeit a little rattled from all the granite that had fallen on him. Regardless, he heeded his captain's orders and retreated to his side.

Given his method of attack, it had become clear to Avery that the Giant's rocky appearance wasn't just for show. An ACE perhaps. It hadn't been the first one he had seen, nor was Goran even the first Logia user he had met. After the granite rain subsided, Avery would drop his shield. He pointed his palm at the Giant and it suddenly transformed into a cannon. Removing his eyepatch and revealing his completely functional eye, he targeted the Giant's own. It was practically telescopic, his eyes were so advanced. Years of wearing an eyepatch and depriving himself of depth perception had somehow allowed him to train them to be even more accurate than an ordinary set. And then, Avery fired.

Of course, a single cannonball wouldn't do any damage to a Giant like this, even if he hit a vital area. At this point, Avery was more so conducting a test. He wanted to see just how effective his Haki was against such a large opponent. Or if the Giant would even think a minuscule cannonball like this would even be worth defending against. He hadn't yet mastered the black hardening his master had demonstrated, but when it came to hurting Devil Fruit users, especially ones that couldn't use Haki, themselves, any amount of Haki was a good amount.

From confident to confusion, Goran's eyes squinted at the incoming projectile racing towards him. Initially hard to make out, it only took a moment for the giant to realize that it was a cannonball and couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. To use such a weak weapon against a giant, especially was covered in one of the most durable materials found in nature, was ridiculous. It reinforced the the golem's thoughts of the gnats before him were green. Powerful rookies, they might be but rookies nonetheless. With that thought, he didn't bother moving, knowing the natural defense of Devil Fruit would leave him unharmed.

BOOM!

Drip. Drip. Drip.

"Eh? What is...that sound?" Goran loudly questioned, looking about for the source behind trickling liquid. It must have been nearby and big at that since he could hear it. It was in that moment he realized that his vision was now pointed up at the sky instead of looking down below. Not only that but he couldn't see out of his right eye as it burned with pain.

Slowly moving his hand to his face, he touched his right eye and felt a sticky substance exuding from the area. It had been so long but he knew exactly what it was. "You..." Goran spoke, voice trembling in rage. Looking at Avery with his one good eye, he shouted at the top of his lungs. "YOU DARE HURT ME! YOU SHALL DIE HERE!" With a powerful stomp of his foot, several spikes of granite sprouted from the ground and raced to skewer through Avery and everyone else within their way.

The spikes were traveling at a breakneck pace. Avery and Saul immediately sprung into action, or else their enemy likely would have turned them into skewered meat. Saul took to the skies with a mighty leap, flying towards the foot that Goran had pressed into the ground, aiming to land on top of it. As he descended his arms would vibrate, before slamming them on top of the Giant's foot.

The vibration in his arms would continue to increase, digging his fingers and bone spikes into the foot to cause even more damage. He was an ACE, a Logia fruit user, so only a few things could actually hurt him. But solid Logia users regenerated slower than the other types. Saul's vibrations were intended to break and shatter the granite foot and leave Goran temporarily off balance, giving Avery the perfect opportunity to strike.

As Saul attempted to destroy the foot, Avery was already in the middle of his own maneuver. From his feet and hands, Avery's jets had appeared, flying at high speed into the air to remove him from the area of effect. He'd continue upwards, getting to about the same level as Goran's chest before stopping. From his shoulder sprouted another cannon, but not like the one he had used before. An energy had begun charging up within its long, more slender barrel. And from it he fired a beam that could destroy ships. The Sol Arche's laser cannon.

Of course, the beam had also been empowered by Avery's Haki, to ensure he could still injure the hopefully off-balance Giant and knock him to the ground. The beam traveled at incredibly high speeds, right towards Goran's chest, and would make a powerful explosion on contact. It would be about the size of the Giant's chest. But even so, Giants were famously resilient. Avery would stay ready to avoid or fire again if the attack did less damage than he desired.

In his blind rage, Goran's attention was solely focused on Avery as he desired to end the person who stole his eye. As a result, he didn't notice Saul nor his actions until it was too late, feeling a prickling sensation within his leg before hearing a loud CRACK sound followed by finding his balance being thrown off and toppling towards the ground. Confused, he wondered what exactly happened. Granite was an incredible durable material after all, capable of withstanding immense amounts of pressure.

It shouldn't be possible to damage his impregnatable body.

Before he could think more on the matter, Goran noticed the small speck flying high into the sky as it aligned perfectly with his chest. "You...?!" Goran shouted upon realizing who exactly it was. Thrusting his hand behind him, a pillar formed out of the palm of his hand and pushed him back on balance and towards Avery, with a hand raised to smack the eyepatch-wearing pirate out of the sky.

Unfortunately, his plan was interrupted by the high-powered laser cannon being fired towards him, piercing through the air in the form of an gigantic azure beam. Goran's eyes widen in fright and abandoned any semblance of attacking. Flexing his fingers, granite around his arm until it grew into a large tower shield roughly the size of his body. "You will...not harm...me now!" The laser beam met the shield and held strong. A twisted grin formed on the giant's face, proud of his decision and knew the last attack was a mere fluke from his overconfidence.

"You shall...not hur-HUH?!" The giant was swiftly interrupted as the laser beam detonated in a fiery explosion, destroying his shield into pieces and sending him onto the ground with a deafening BOOM. A burning sensation engulfed his arm as he found it hard to move his several of his fingers. "No... not again." Goran lamented, looking to his hand and sure enough, two of his fingers were missing. It wasn't the pain that stung the most.

It was the embarrassment.

"You have humiliated me for the last time..." For the first time, Goran spoke in a complete sentence. With a hefty stomp, the towering golem pushed himself back onto his feet. As he rose, his body continued to grow. "No more... NO MORE!"

"Gotta admit," said Avery, charging up another beam from his laser cannon, "I admire the work ethic. The loyalty too. I got my own, big loyal guy too."

As if on cue, Saul, ran over to the rising Giant, aiming a strike against his leg as he tried to rise, with the intent of keeping him off-balance as Avery charged his attack. Hopefully a stronger one would take down the Giant. If he created any new granite spires to keep himself upright, Saul would dash between them in the blink of an eye, intent on smashing them to pieces before they could help stabilize Goran.

"I wish you took up my offer, but I understand why you didn't. I'm hoping to get a batch of even bigger Giants in my crew in the future anyway." And then Avery fired. Extra strength, a much larger blast than before aimed towards Goran's chest once again.

Goran scowled at Avery's comment, displeased that the boy still wasn't taking him seriously. He'd make him regret his choice by taking his life. As his body had fortified by an additional layer of granite, it looked as though the Giant was wearing a suit of stone armor. Their earlier tactic of knocking him off balance wouldn't work as easily now, already feeling Saul attempt to do the same thing as before with stabbing into his leg.

However, his attention was mainly focused on Avery and the gigantic beam fired off at him. "NOT AGAIN!" Moving his hand within its trajectory, the gauntlet took on the laser head on as it refracted the energy before it detonated in a fiery explosion. Fortunately, his tactic had paid off as outside of some damages to the gauntlet, everything was fine since his body was buried further than the beam could currently reach.

"Stone Finger!" Pointing his index finger at Avery, it shot off like a cannonball towards where the pirate captain stood to turn him into a smear on the ground.

Avery wasn't completely caught off guard by the Giant's next actions. An enraged opponent was far easier for him to read than a calm one. However, knowing what his enemy intended still left it to Avery to react appropriately. A blue glow appeared around his neck as his force field once again appeared around him. However, despite only being a finger, the size, strength, and speed of the attack was still immense. Avery couldn't keep himself in place and was pushed far when the attack made contact.

The force field dissipated and he was tumbling in the sky. Jets appeared all over his body, briefly firing at one point or another in an attempt stabilize himself. "Guess he didn't like that," Avery groaned, just as he managed to stop himself from spinning. Things were a little blurry now. He put his hand on his head as he tried to clear up the dizziness. Next he put it over his mouth, hoping that his lunch with Joan and Joey wouldn't come back up, but he managed to keep it down. He was hoping to end their battle with his last strike, but that appeared to be wishful thinking.

While Avery still seemed calm over what had transpired, Saul was the one that suddenly became enraged. He began climbing up the granite Giant's leg, fingers and claws digging into his body while he climbed like a mountain, traversing the cliff with unbridled speed. He let out a powerful roar as he climbed, different from his vibrational attacks from before. This one was more like a sonic attack, intent to briefly stun or paralyze the target, disorient them at the minimum. The area the sound covered would generally work well against one or multiple normal-sized opponents, but would only affect certain parts of a Giant. That's why Saul was aiming towards his head.

"Take that...You stinking...ba-" His words of triumph were cut short by the sudden burst of sound which slammed from below, traveling through his helmet and rattling within his ears. Piercing through any defense he had previously set up, it left him within a stunned state. He briefly wondered where that had come from before remembering the small gray gnat which had been climbing up him like a child on a jungle gym. It was an unfortunate misplay on his part, one he had just swore to not repeat but it was alright. With Avery out of commission for the time being, he doubted Saul could deal any real damage.

He'd just have to wait it out.

Avery was returning as quickly as possible. He could still see the Giant without difficulty, but having a closer target was always best when it came to aiming. His accuracy wasn't quite as good as Yoichi's, even with his naturally great eyesight. Although, he did have one weapon in his arsenal that worked rather well, even from further distances. Arguably it was even more accurate than the laser, albeit less destructive.

A reticule appeared in front of Avery's eye, to improve his aim as he targeted the weakest point he could find, the eye hole on the Giant's granite armor. His arm transformed into a cannon, albeit a different design from his normal cannon and even the laser. He smirked as he lined up the shot. And from his new cannon he fired a missile. Rocket-powered to increase both its speed and destructive capabilities, it flew towards the Giant, which would make contact a few moments after Saul's screech would end, the "gray gnat" still climbing up the Giant's leg as an ample distraction. While the missile was stronger than the cannonball, it lacked quite the same level of power as the laser. Albeit, its further range made it the perfect weapon for this scenario. And, of course, Avery had augmented the missile itself with his Haki.

Goran wasn't entirely surprised by the sight of the rocket or realizing where exactly it was headed once more, most likely trying to take out his another eye. Fortunately, with the constitution of a Giant, he had already recovered from the sonic roar of Saul and decided to go for an all-out attack. With a fierce roar, the armor which once covered his body burst off like shrapnel and soared through the area in a manner akin to a meteor shower, striking at whatever was within its pat h. Buildings, structures and alike were hit with extreme force, causing them to crumble.

Several of the armor pieces struck at the incoming missile, forcing it to detonate far earlier than it could hit Goran as a fiery plume of smoke clouded the sky. Additionally, the piece Saul had been latched onto had been sent flying as well, heading off in the distance towards an area where citizens were hiding out at.

"Oh shit!" Avery shouted, bringing back up his forcefield as the shrapnel flew towards him. While it wasn't as much force as the Giant's strike from before, each subsequent piece that struck his barrier served to push him back a little. It seemed as though Goran was thinking a lot more clearly than he was before.

At the same time, Saul found himself flying away, holding onto a spire of shrapnel towards a group of civilians. The collision wouldn't deal much damage to Saul, himself, but he couldn't say the same thing for the people he was headed towards. Even if he destroyed the granite, that wouldn't slow him down enough. It appeared he had no choice. He'd have to get even more monstrous.

Saul's gray skin became covered in a red exoskeleton as insectoid wings sprouted from his back. They began buzzing as Saul used his weight to bring the granite closer to the ground, skidding against it and tearing it up as he tried to slow himself. The wings buzzing allowed him to push forward and against the power pushing him. And he stopped, just barely tapping a young woman with the back of his heel. He grunted as he crushed the granite within his hands, allowing it to fall to his feet. He turned around towards the woman and those she was hiding with. They seemed terrified.

"Sor... ry..." Saul managed to choke out before flying back towards the Giant.

Goran was proving to be more formidable than expected after initially underestimating the pair, but they were still ready to continue the fight.

"This is the end!" With a loud declaration, Goran tightly clenched his hand as he compiled an excessive amount of granite into his arm, forming an oversized gauntlet with sharp spikes at the knuckle. His expression was one of focused rage, ready to take out his frustration upon those below with the might of a titan.

"Goran, wait! Sir, we're retreating!" From below, a nameless pirate invader ran forth while waving their arms. "Captain Daven was defeated!"

Goran paused in the mid-swing, a look of confusion over his face. Draven had been...defeated? "What did...you say?!"

The nameless pirate flinched, fear evident but repeated his earlier statement. "Captain Draven was taken out during the raid! We've been losing a number of others as well! We're calling a retreat now!"

Frustrated as he might be, Goran was no fool. If someone could take out Daven - it meant he would soon follow once they reached him. Of course, that was assuming that Avery and Saul didn't put him down before that. Looking down at the aforementioned duo, his eyes narrowed.

"Fine. We shall...go." His arm shrunk back to normal, turning on his heel to head towards their ship. Once more, he spoke with clarity. "We shall meet again, eye-patch. I shall repay you for what you took for me on my honor as a Giant. So, tell me your name..."

Avery had already transformed his arm back into his laser cannon, staring down the barrel as he prepared to fire. But watching Goran prepare for his retreat, Avery felt that it would be unwise to poke the bear further. He did what he wanted, but what he wanted right now was to watch a concert, not exactly fight a Giant. He lowered the cannon as it transformed back into his arm.

"Henry Avery, Captain of the Everything Pirates. And future King of the Pirates. And the 'little guy' over here is my bodyguard, Saul."

"'Future King of the Pirates'?" Goran mockingly repeated, shaking his head. "With the amount monsters in this world, you are chasing a fool's dream. However, it's always those fools who are so strong..." With nothing left to say, he loudly stomped away off in the distance.

Goran wasn't the first person to insult his dream, and he certainly didn't expect him to be the last. But as he watched the Giant stomp away, a sudden calm came over the area. The type of calm that only came after a pitched battle. Avery let out a sigh, turning to Saul. "Well that was intense. Let's go fine Joan."

Breakdown[]

"Damn, you can't make this stuff up. Another concert interrupted and this time it was by pirates?" With a raised eyebrow, Roadie sighed. "I'm starting to think that you are cursed or something. Maybe you have some supernatural force which draws misfortune to ya."

A vein popped on Joan's forehead at her brother's remarks, having no desire to hear her own thoughts echoed by someone else. "It's just some bad luck. I'm not cursed."

"Sure..." Roadie said, rolling his eyes at that. "Either you get yourself into situations like this or they find you. Face it, you are pretty cursed."

"You piece of..!"

"Anyways, if I may ask, why were those pirates attacking this island? From the way it seems, this was a planned raid." Nagasaki asked loudly, ignoring as Joan and Roadie argued behind her. At the moment, the Sea-Star Pirates along with the likes of Avery, Saul and Joey were following Oscar through the island as various island-goers were working to repair the damage caused by the attack. From the coordination they displayed, this clearly wasn't the first time they had to deal with such an event, raising even further questions in the eyes of the pirates.

"Indeed, this isn't our first run-in with scum like them" Oscar replied, addressing Nagasaki's query. They treaded through the buzz of activity as island residents and workers moved swiftly to restore order, the remnants of the pirate attack being diligently cleaned up. "Grand Festa is a hot spot for both tourists and troublemakers, as you've probably noticed."

Oscar glanced around at the ongoing repairs, a hint of weariness in his eyes. "We possess resources and potential recruits that are appealing to pirates. They see our festival-goers as easy pickings to bolster their ranks. It's not the first time we've had to fend off such incursions and I fear it won't be the last." Oscar admitted with a sigh.

The group continued to navigate through the bustling streets, taking note of the calm, methodical way in which the locals managed the post-attack chaos. The residents moved like a well-oiled machine, their resilience reflecting a kind of practiced fortitude, which, in turn, suggested that this was far from an isolated incident.

Vicky, who had joined the group not too long ago, walked near Joan with her arms behind her back as she asked her own question that piqued her curiosity "And you guys don't plan on ever moving from this place? Find a new location to get away from the mess?"

"That's out of the question" Oscar shut that down immediately, causing Vicky to raise her eyebrows at him as Oscar turned to her. "I won't ever hide or run from those that would try to take what I built on my own. It might very well be the foolish decision of a prideful leader but what is a leader without their pride? Their convictions? Who would follow a leader that runs every time trouble comes there way?" He asked as his question seemed to be directed not just at Vicky but to everyone there.

"Despite the challenges, we've always managed to protect our city, either by ourselves or with the assistance of capable individuals such as yourselves," Oscar continued, a warm smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he nodded towards the Sea-Star Pirates, Avery, and Joey.

"Huh, I didn't think that you were the type of person to be brave like that..." Sitting atop of Roadie's shoulders with a fist full of his hair, Joan blinked in surprise. Nonetheless, she nodded in agreement with his words - seeing no error in his way of thinking. "I can get behind that though. You've gotta stick to your guns and give anyone who tries to take it the finger! You've got my respect for that, Mayor Ozzy!"

"At the very least, you've got Saul and I on your protection duty while Joan's here," said Avery, "this is the second time I've been prevented from seeing the Sea-Star Pirates perform live and it's starting to get annoying. Although if you decide to start flying my flag on your island, who knows, maybe that'll be enough of a deterrent. Gi hi hi hi!"

Avery laughed, but stopped and turned to his bodyguard behind him. Saul's cloak and new shirt were in tatters. He was clearly saddened, not just because of the loss in clothing, but because his true, monstrous appearance had become known to all. Even as they walked by the other citizens, they were giving him strange, concerned looks, as well as curious ones as to why he was with the famous pirates. He was being seen as what he feared he would be seen as: a monster.

Avery patted his bodyguard on the arm, flashing him a reassuring smile. "I'm only half-kidding by the way, Ozzy. If you ever want to make Grand Festa an Everything Pirates' territory, just let me know."

"Bark! Bark!"

Out from the rubble, covered in dirt and soot, ran a familiar, commando-looking dingo, running right up to Joan and the rest of the Sea-Stars. AC/DC leaped into the young woman's arms before licking her cheek repeatedly. The dingo seemed to have been terrified just a moment ago, but so released to be back with his master.

"Aw! I was wondering where you were at, little guy!" Joan exclaimed happily, laughing at the dog licking her. "Jeez, we're gonna need to give you a bath. You are filthy as hell!"

"Yeah, that's great and all but can ya'll get off of me now?!" Roadie loudly exclaimed, tossing his sister off of his shoulders where she flipped and landed on the ground without a care ー still holding AC/DC. "Still, it is pretty fortunate that we were here to help. How long has this person been attacking you?"

"We've been dealing with these small-scale raids for months now," Oscar began, rubbing his temple as if the memory itself was a headache. "Pirates, rogues, opportunists... They've all made attempts to claim what isn't theirs. But today's attack was different, more coordinated and far more intense. It's the first time they've dared to declare a return assault."

Oscar paused to glance at Saul, whose self-conscious look and torn clothes caught his attention. He chuckled lightly, smiling at the bodyguard. "Your appearance might be unnerving to some, but true strength is never a thing to hide. Besides, your loyalty to your captain is quite commendable." His eyes then shifted to Avery's as he chuckled in amusement. "Your proposition is interesting, we'll certainly consider it should things get out of hand."

Oscar's eyes would then trail over to AC/DC, who was now enthusiastically lapping Joan's face. A fond smile graced his lips as he added, "And I'm sure our residents, especially the kids, would love to see more of AC/DC around. They love animals, the cuter the better"

"Still," Sojiro, Oscar's bodyguard brought the conversation back to the main subject. "The leader of this recent attack, Captain Daven I believe they called him, he's a new player in the scene. We have to be prepared for the second wave" He warned.

"Oh, we will be. I'm itching to know if those guys were just talking hot hair or they've got the reinforcements to back up they're confidence" Joey said as he slid his hands into his pockets and walked alongside the Sea Stars. "Besides, I still haven't got a chance to see you guys perform." He said to Gray and Joan.

"Well strap in pretty boy, because we'll blow your socks off when all this shit is resolved. Ain't that right, captain?" Gray smirked as he spoke to Joan who was still being lapped by AC/DC.

"Of course we will! Those fuckers made the wrong choice in attacking a place where my concert and fans are at!" Joan proclaimed, giving a fierce glare at the very thought. "If they come around for a second time, we can handle 'em. They might have numbers but we're far better in terms of strength!"

"Quality over quantity, a common debate which is usually proven true." Lucian nodded in agreement, albeit begrudgingly.

"Yeah!" Avery agreed, "it'll be a cold day in hell before I let anyone stop this concert again. Whether they're a giant made from rocks or some kind of crab human, I'll take 'em down. Then I'm gonna watch the shit out of the Sea-Star Pirates concert...! With backstage passes?" The question was addressed to Joan.

"Keep asking and I'll send you to the nosebleeds." Joan said in a deadpan voice.

"Gi hi hi hi!" Avery laughed, "and I bet you're strong enough to do it too!"

Saul growled at the threat, but Avery patted him on the arm again.

"Don't worry big guy, if Joan lashes out at me, I've obviously done something to deserve it. After all, pushy fans can be pretty annoying."

"You don't know the half of it..." The musician muttered with a blank stare, possessively stroking her hair.

"You really don't." Roadie agreed.

"Sounds like you guys need to up your security" Joey casually suggested.

Gray exhaled a tired sigh at that comment, though he found it hard to disagree. "That's quite possibly the understatement of the century."

"Well, while you're all here, that won't be an issue," Oscar reassured, exchanging a knowing glance with Sojiro, as he guided the group through a residential district. They soon arrived in an area dedicated to the various fan clubs that celebrated famous pirates and outlaws who visited Grand Festa. One establishment stood out among the rest - a grand, ostentatious structure adorned with two colossal guitars as its figureheads. The inscription "JOJO FC" was boldly emblazoned over the entrance.

"This is one of our more popular fan clubs, and I'm sure you can all figure out to whom it belongs," Oscar stated, casting a sly glance towards Joan as a ripple of amusement ran through the group.

"Huh, what could that possibly...be..." As she registered the building in front of her with widening eyes, Joan unceremoniously dropped AC/DC on the ground like a sack of potatoes. Slowly walking towards the establishment, her lips stretched into a megawatt smile as a feeling of pure joy and excitement overtook her senses. "GURAHAHAHAHA! This is fucking awesome!"

Looking over at the group, she excitedly proclaimed. "I knew I had to have a fan club but this is next level! These guys have awesome style and everything!"

"I'm sure we can tell who it belongs to..." Nagasaki said, smiling at the excited nature Joan was displaying.

AC/DC yelped as he was dropped onto the ground, landing slightly onto his side but scrambling back to his feet in a few seconds.

"Gi hi hi hi!" Avery laughed. "Well congratulations Joan! I hope these fans aren't as pushy as I am. Now, would there happen to be a Henry Avery fan club around?" Avery said, his eyes scanning the area.

Oscar smiled at Avery's inquiry, a chuckle escaping his lips. "In fact, Mr. Avery, there is indeed a fan club dedicated to you." He gestured down the lively street to a building not far away. The structure was smaller than Joan's but still striking, crowned with a colossal eyepatch as a homage to the famous pirate himself.

"And that's not all" Oscar said amusedly before he directed the group's attention towards a building that stood out for its unique design - a pair of colossal drumsticks crossed at the top, clearly symbolizing a drummer's passion. It was even more obvious than Joan's whose it belonged too as Gray felt himself smirk bashfully.

"And last but certainly not least" Oscar followed up and this time, shifted everyone's gaze to a building on the left side that looked like any other typical building that could be found in any town. However, what really made it stand out was the various posters of a certain good looking blonde haired pirate that had it's exclusively all female members of different ages enamored.

Joey's jaw dropped open in disbelief, as he stammered out, "...Seriously?"

Whether it was Joan, Avery, Gray, or Joey; it seemed all the famous rookies gathered on Grand Festa had fanclubs dedicated to them.

"This isn't any good... Now her ego will grow even bigger with this revelation." Lucian sighed, feeling a headache coming along.

Roadie looked over at the blond tactician, giving him a judging stare. "Like you have any room to talk. I bet you wanted to see if you had your own fan club here as well." Not bothering to wait for a response from his embarrassed crewmate, the red-haired young man turned back to Oscar.

"So, who else has a fan club on this island? Actually, who has the biggest club too?"

"Wow..." said Avery after his fan club building was pointed out to him. He couldn't help but feel a little jealous, since her club building was larger than his, but it only made sense considering they were on an island dedicated to music. "Well, Saul and I are gonna go visit my fans. See you guys later!" Avery turned and began walking towards the building with the eyepatch. "Is this really the most striking part of my appearance?" Avery said to himself. Even so, he turned to Saul for his input. The large man just shrugged.

"Enjoy your time, Avery" Oscar called out to the retreating figure of the eyepatch-sporting pirate, before turning his attention to Roadie's question. Placing his hand under his chin in contemplation, he looked thoughtful. "Well, there are quite a few fan clubs here," he started.

"We have clubs for major players such as Daddy L. Legs, Daikaku, Cain D. Abel, and Umori Kenshiro. They're among the most powerful pirates in the world and their fan bases are quite considerable," he explained, sweeping his gaze across the impressive array of buildings that made up the fan club district. "But to be honest, the number of members in each fan club can vary and changes quite frequently. It's challenging to pinpoint who has the largest following at any given time."

Gray would then suddenly nudge Joey playfully, "Hey pretty boy, aren't you curious to check out your own fan club? I bet they'd love to meet their heartthrob." He teased.

Joey groaned, his cheeks turning a noticeable shade of red. "Give it a rest, will ya? I still can't believe I even have a fan club." He grumbled.

Oscar, still chuckling, gave the group a wry smile. "Well, it seems fame has its own quirks. I'd suggest you all take some time to enjoy it while you can. It's not every day you get to see the admiration of your fans materialized like this."

"Doubt that I have any fans but I'm game to check 'em about." Roadie shrugged, looking over to his sister who was rushing into the building. "Oi! Don't just leave us behind!"

Joan came to a halt, looking at the group with barely contained excitement. "Then hurry up already! If I can't play music, checking this out is the next best thing!"

Nagasaki looked between the two with a confused expression, tilting her head. "With all the bad experiences you've had with fans, I figured you'd be more hesitant meeting them."

Joan blinked at the question, unintentionally mimicking Nagasaki as she tilted her head. "I mean I can't judge all of my fans on the action of what amounts to a handful of 'em. That wouldn't be fair and even if they are weird, I'm still grateful that they take the time to listen to my music. I wanna know what exactly they like about my music so I can improve on it and use that to spread that to other folks it hasn't reached. Simple as that."

"How oddly mature..." Lucian muttered in bewilderment.

Vicky, having been silent throughout the whole reveal, seemed to slump a bit. The vivacious solo musician had been scanning the area, a hopeful glint in her eyes that slowly faded to disappointment. "I don't see a fan club for me," she mumbled.

Oscar, noticing the drooping mood, smiled in amusement, "Oh, Vicky, don't be so down. You have plenty of fans to fill up a building, we just don't have the space to accommodate everyone. This island can only handle so many fan clubs after all" He explained as hearing that seemed to brighten up Vicky's mood.

"I-Is that so?" Vicky replied, a faint blush on her cheeks.

Oscar nodded, patting her back in a warm fashion. "Absolutely. Let me show you where they usually gather. You'll feel much better when you see the crowd that shows up for you."

He then turned to the rest of the group, waving his hand. "Remember to at least greet your fans, everyone! Enjoy the rest of your time on the island." With a final nod, he left with Sojiro and Vicky following close behind.

Left behind, the group exchanged glances. Gray was the first to break the silence. "Well, I think I'll head over to my fan club. I'm dying to see what the interior is like" He admitted with an anxious gaze.

Joey rolled his eyes but relented with a sigh, "Fine, I'll at least check mine out. But if they start squealing or fainting, I'm out of there."He stated as the two said their temporary goodbyes to Joan, leaving the Sea-Star pirate captain with her remaining crew members in front of her fanclub.

"We can meet up later then!" Joan said, waving at the leaving group before looking at the remaining Sea-Star Pirates - who happened to be Roadie, Nagasaki and AC/DC. It seemed like Lucien had left somewhere in between everyone's talking. Whether he had went to check out someone else's club or search for his own was a mystery. "Alright, let's go in then!"

With nothing stopping her, Joan burst through the doors of her fan club with a wild shout of happiness.

"This is gonna be either amazing or horrible. There is no in between for this." Roadie muttered, shaking his head.

Nagasaki shrugged, smiling. "Possibly but her excitement is contagious."

"True..." Roadie grumbled, looking down at AC/DC. "You ready to head in, boy?"

AC/DC yipped twice. He jumped a few times, seemingly trying to gain momentum, before doing a full flip and landing perfectly on his feet. He looked at the rest of the crew, panting excitedly.

Roadie blinked at the impressive trick, looking at Nagasaki. "Are we sure he's a normal dog?"

"He could just be hyper intelligent." Nagasaki shrugged, having seen such creatures before. Within the Grand Line, it wasn't that crazy of a concept. "We should head in after her before things get too wild..."

With a nod of agreement, the group walked into the Joan's fan club as the loud roar of cheering and laughter could be heard from within.

Stepping through the threshold of the fan club, the first thing that struck the crew was the sheer energy of the place. Dozens of young men and women, all wearing hats that bore Joan's signature style, were gathered in the spacious hall. Some were jamming out to one of Joan's latest tracks blaring from speakers strategically placed around the room, while others strummed guitars of their own, attempting to mimic her unique playing style.

On the far wall was a giant screen, where a recording of Joan in concert was playing. Her larger-than-life persona, amplified through the screen, was completely captivating; even her recorded performance brought out raw excitement from the fans.

The Sea-Star Pirates' arrival went unnoticed at first, with everyone completely engrossed in the festivities. But that changed when a young woman with brown hair walked towards the entrance. In her hands was a tray laden with snacks for the attendees, but when she saw Joan standing there, grinning her usual grin, she promptly dropped the tray against the wooden floor as she ignored the spillage of drinks and food to stare at her idol in the flesh.

"AHHHHHH!" She pointed a trembling finger at Joan, letting out a high-pitched scream that echoed through the room. The music was drowned out by her shriek, drawing the attention of the other club members. They all turned in confusion to see what was happening, only to be met with the sight of their idol grinning back at them.

"OH MY GOD IT'S HER!"

"I'M DREAMING! I'M DREAMING!"

The room descended into pure chaos as fans reacted with equal parts shock and excitement. Some swooned and fainted on the spot, others scrambled to regain their composure, and a few were stuck in a state of stunned silence.

"GURAHAHAHAHAHA! WHAT'S UP?!" Joan loudly exclaimed, her eyes sweeping over the room as she took in every person who stood before her and the memorabilia which decorated the entire place. The excitement that had bloomed within her earlier doubled in size at the amount of raw love and joy they had towards herself and her craft.

"I heard ya'll are my fanclub and there was no way I wasn't about to check you guys out!" The rockstar smiled widely.

"This ain't a fan club. It's more like a country club centered around Joan..." Roadie whistled, impressed by the sight. There was even discontinued and recalled merchandise. These guys were the real deal.

The fan club members seemed to be stuck in their state of shock, their eyes wide and mouths agape as they stared at Joan. It was as if they were seeing a ghost, or perhaps a deity, standing right before their eyes.

It took a few moments for the silence to be broken. A group of young girls, emboldened by their fellow club members' inaction, rushed up to Joan. They held out pieces of paper, each bearing lyrics to one of Joan's songs or doodles of the musician herself, and bowed a full 90 degrees forward.

"CAN WE PLEASE HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH!?" They said in unison, not hiding their desire to obtain their idol's signature on their prized possessions.

"Don't be stupid! Of course ya can!" Joan shouted in glee, pen in hand. "Line up and bring what you want signed!"

"For a price." Roadie stepped forward, gesturing people to form a single file line. Even if they had just gotten paid by Dexter, it never hurt to earn more money. Especially knowing how they'd need to spend money on random nonsense for the crew.

As the fans formed an orderly line, each of them eager for their turn to get an autograph and a picture with Joan, a woman pushed her glasses up her nose and sighed, muttering "Good grief." She was well-dressed, with a neat bun in her hair, and a no-nonsense air about her.

"Excuse me," she said, approaching Nagasaki, Roadie and AC/DC. "I'm Sorina, the president and supervisor of the Joan fan club. I do apologize for the... enthusiasm of our members. They've been dreaming about meeting Joan in person, and as you can see, they're quite fanatical about it." She explained with a wry smile.

"No, no, it's understandable." Nagasaki waved off the apology, seeing where the zealous fans were coming from. Being able to meet your idol would spark excitement in anyone and it seemed like they simply couldn't contain themselves. "Joan has been wanting to come to this island to see if she had fan club since hearing about it."

"Ah, that's relieving to hear," Sorina responded, a small smile crossing her face. "Thank you, Nagasaki-san, for your understanding. Now, would you and your friend like to join us for some refreshments and snacks at the table? I believe Joan-san will be quite busy with her autographs for a while." She said with a wry smile as Joan was still swamped in fans asking for photos and autographs.

Nagasaki looked over as well at the aforementioned gathering, her lips curling into a smile at the sight of Joan smiling in glee as she went about taking photos and signing their merchandise. It was a joyful sight, like watching an animal thrive in their natural habitat. If there was a place where the rock star thrived outside of the stage, it was with those who she loved and her fans were people she fit into that category.

"I wouldn't be opposed to taking a break..." The purple-haired woman nodded. "Something tells me we'll be here for a while."

Sorina gave Nagasaki a nod of understanding, gesturing for her to follow as she led the way through the crowd towards a table filled with refreshments. They left behind the excited chatter and laughter that filled the fan club, following the smell of fresh coffee and pastries instead.

Meanwhile, Joan found herself still swamped in her fanbase asking for either autographs or pictures as a young girl with sparkling eyes that was clutching a signed Joan poster suddenly blurted out a question.

"I-Is it alright if I ask you what made you want to become a musician in the first place?" she asked, her words rushing out as if she was afraid she'd lose the courage to ask if she didn't say it quickly.

Joan blinked upon hearing the question, the pen within her hand coming to a halt as she autographed the replica of her hat. From the crowd's perspective, the rockstar went silent as they whispered among each other in worry, with several looking over at the young girl in anger. However, before anyone could speak up, Joan kneeled down to the child's level and ruffled her hair.

"That's a pretty good question. Honestly, I'm surprised that nobody has asked until now." With a chuckle, she stood up before leaping onto a nearby table for everyone to see. "Well, who wants to hear the story about why I decided to become a musician?! This is a story I'll only tell once, so don't expect a repeat!"

"WE DO!"

Cheers and whoops filled the room as fans gathered around Joan, their eyes sparkling with anticipation as they awaited to tell her tale of how she became a musician.

Hearing the loud sound of confirmation from the adoring crowd, Joan's smile widened as she soaked in the attention. Her eyes swept through the audience, pausing upon seeing Roadie who noticed her staring and simply gave cheeky wink, making the rockstar laugh once more. "Alright, I'll tell you the tale of how it all began! I remember it like it was yesterday..."

Closing her eyes, memories surfaced from the depths of Joan's mind. "It all started when I was a young girl..."

Burning Man[]

June 20th, 1567

"Joan..."

"Joan, wake up."

"JOAN! WAKE UP ALREADY!"

Despite the loud shouting from outside the room, a young girl elected to ignore it and continue sleeping within her twin-sized bed while loudly snoring. With brown hair and limbs sprawled across the mattress, she fit the definition of a heavy sleeper as a snot bubble ebbed and flowed out of her nose like the ocean currents. However, as she enjoyed her rest, a beam of sunlight shined through the curtains and onto her face, causing her to squirm from the sensation. As she attempted to close the curtain, the brown-haired girl pulled with an excessive amount of strength, causing the railing to come loose and slam against her forehead with a CLANG.

"SON OF A-OW!" Jolting up in pain, she let out a loud hiss while rubbing the area where she had been struck. Cracking her eyes open to reveal a set of bright red eyes, they bounced around the room and took in the area. Spotting the various posters along the walls and toys littering the floor, it looked like a typical child's bedroom. Her attention was soon drawn to the curtain rod that laid across her legs, as a look of annoyance spread across her face.

"You're the reason I woke up early? Whatever..." Throwing the object onto the floor, she flopped back onto her bed and slowly closed her eyes once more as the realm of dreams called to her. However, before she could fully immerse herself in sleep, the door to her room was burst open as a scruffy-looking man dressed in a worn-out cloak and ajirogasa walked through.

"Come on, Joan! I've been calling ya for the past few minutes! Breakfast is gonna get cold if you don't come on downstairs." Journey said with a laidback smile, staring down at the child. "Besides, your ma worked hard on it considering today's the big day."

"Huh? Whazzit going on?" As she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, the words spoken by her father slowly registered in her mind as Joan pushed herself out of the bed. "What are ya talking about, pops? What's so important about today?"

The red-haired man let out a chuckle and pat Joan on the head before leaving. "I'll explain it after we've all ate. I'd suggest getting a move on."

Despite her confusion, she nodded in excitement and leapt onto her bed, using it as a springboard to launch herself into the air and snatch her signature military hat off the ceiling fan. As she fell from above, Joan landed on a beanbag chair and swiftly rushed over to her dresser, putting out a clothes until finding comfortable something to put on.

"Alright, let's see what all the fuss is about!"

Closing the door behind her, the young girl ran through the hallway before sliding down the railing of the stairs to the first floor and heading over to the kitchen where the smell of breakfast came from, causing a bit of drool to leak out of her mouth at the heavenly scent. Entering the room, she swiftly sat at the table and looked over to the woman cooking at the stove.

"Morning, ma!"

"Good morning, sweetie." With a soft smile, Johanna flipped a pancake into the air before catching it on a plate loaded with bacon and pancakes, setting it before her daughter. "You woke up pretty late today. Usually you are up when the sunrises to help your old man."

"I don't know, I just felt super tired last night." Joan shrugged while shoveling pieces of pancake into her mouth, savoring the perfection of her mother's cooking. In the little girl's mind, there was no better cook in the world than her mom and she'd fight whoever wanted to argue about it. As she happily ate, a thought resurfaced in her mind as Johanna sat at the table with her own plate of food.

"Oh, mom! Dad was acting all mysterious when he woke me up, saying today was the big day." With a raised eyebrow, she chewed on her food. "What did he mean by that?"

"Big day... Oh, he's probably talking about the Rising Sun Rock Festival." Johanna explained before taking a sip of orange juice.

"The Rising Sun Rock Festival?" The little girl parroted with a confused look. "How come I've never heard about it before?"

"Usually, you are asleep by the time it starts." Journey walked into the kitchen, his cloak flowing behind him as an easy-going smile could be seen etched on his face. Leaning over, he grabbed Joan's cheeks and stretched them. "However, since my little JoJo is getting older, I figured it was the best time to introduce you to the event. Get ya involved and stuff."

"Is that why BroBro isn't here?"

"Exactly, he's been working on setting up the stage for the event." Journey said, releasing his hold on Joan's adorable face. "The kid's a machine and won't stop until it is perfect in his eye."

"Huh..." Despite not understanding the full scope of his words, Joan accepted it nonetheless. "So, what's the festival about?"

"It's a music festival we host every year. Your old man happens to know a bunch of musicians and invites 'em to the island to play while the everyone else parties! Food, drinks and games are on display until the sun rises the next day!" Journey explained, smirking while sneaking a pancake away from his irritated wife's plate. "That's where the name comes from! What do ya think?!"

Joan digested the information whilst doing the same with the food in front of her, munching on a piece of bacon. It certainly sounded pretty fun, listening to music while partying. However, there was something about it which nagged at her young mind.

"But why..? Festivals are usually in celebration of something, so what do you guys celebrate?"

"Why? Hmm..." Journey hummed in thought, attempting to come up with an explanation that would satisfy her. After a minute, a look of clarity came over his face. "Follow me, little JoJo. Let me show you something."

After finishing breakfast, Journey and Joan helped clean the kitchen for Johanna before leaving their humble abode. As they made their way towards the entrance of Woodstock Village, the father-daughter duo were greeted by people around them smiling and waving, responding with a wave of their own or a quip of small talk. It was during the walk Joan noticed that the villagers were either working on something or aiding someone else. From cooking food and making drinks to designing clothing and setting up stalls, it was evident that Journey's earlier statement about the Rising Sun Rock Festival being an important island-wide event wasn't an exaggeration.

It only served to make the little girl even more curious.

Nonetheless, with their walk through the village concluded, they continued along the path into the Deep Forest. Despite the woods being home to dangerous wildlife, Joan wasn't worried about anything of the sort. After all, with her father nearby, there was nothing that would be able to reach her. Not to mention...

"...?" Journey stopped walking, looking at a lone tree.

Joan stopped as well, staring at her father with a confused look. "Dad?"

CRACK-BOOM!

Suddenly, the body of a gigantic tiger slammed through a tree and flopped onto the path which Joan and Journey were walking. Letting out a weak cry, the creature attempted to push itself back onto its feet but collapsed on to the ground once more. It was clear from the injuries and torn fur across the tiger's body that it hadn't just been recently attacked but utterly dominated. Whatever must have caused this level of damage could only be described as a monster.

"Woof!"

From out of the bushes, a white-furred wolf with red markings across its body leaped out. It's muzzle and claws were covered in blood, clearly belonging to that of the tiger laying on the ground. With a low growl, the canine stalked forth towards the big cat as with each step spelled the end for the tiger.

"Powerwolf!" Joan happily cried out, rushing over to the bloodied wolf.

The savage-looking wolf's expression swiftly changed into a dopey smile, shaking the excess blood from its face. Letting out a loud woof, it ran towards Joan and tackled her, affectionately licking her face.

"Hahaha! Down, girl!" She laughed, attempting to shove the animal off. "You'll drown me if you keep going!"

Listening her words, Powerwolf stopped and sat before Joan as she stood back up.

"Looks like she was having an important event of her own..." Journey muttered, inspecting the wounded tiger. Normally, Powerwolf wasn't this aggressive when it came to hunting for her meals. The only exception was if she worked up a large appetite, attacked in the midst of her own feeding or someone went for Joan.

"Though, with this level of ferocity, it was could a meal interruption."

"You wanna come with us to wherever pops is taking me?!" Joan asked, receiving a loud bark of affirmation. Immediately, Powerwolf rushed underneath Joan and lifted the girl onto her back, acting as a mount. "Sweet! You heard her, dad! Let's pick up the pace!"

Journey smirked. "Alright, how about we make a little game out of it? If you can beat me to Glastonbury Village, I'll buy you whatever you want when the traders come in next month."

"Really?!" Joan exclaimed with a face-splitting smile. "Alright! You heard him, Powerwolf! If we win, I'll get you all of the exotic animal meat from that guy who hits on mom! So, let's move!"

Salivating at the idea of such delicious animals it could devour, Powerwolf crouched low to the ground before rushing ahead with tremendous force, kicking up a cloud of dust in its wake.

Shocked at Joan's earlier statement, Journey stood still within the smoke cloud as he processed her words. "Hits on your mom...?! Wait a second, we were supposed to do a countdown, ya cheater!" Knowing she'd reached the town soon and having no intention of giving a man like that his money, Journey jettisoned forth as the wind rippled behind him and shook the nearby trees.


"I won, I won, I won!"

"Only because you distracted me with that comment of yours. How could you betray your old man like that?!"

"With promises of you buying whatever I want, duh."

Despite Journey being able to close the distance set by the unforeseen head start, he still lost due to a combination of Powerwolf's better understanding of the environment and better maneuverability, being able to take routes which no human could. Unfortunately, his attempts at a do-over were swiftly rejected by his cheeky daughter, knowing that this was the only chance at victory she'd get. Regardless, the group had arrived atop of a hill overlooking their destination.

"This place..." With a frown, Joan stared at the village.

Whereas Woodstock Village had a lively atmosphere and citizens expressing joyous emotions, Glastonbury was the exact opposite.

Throughout the entire settlement, there was an suffocating aura of hopelessness and despair. The residents of the village were unkept, having clearly not taken care of themselves in a long time. Coupled with their expressions being filled with sadness or emptiness, it painted a bleak picture for those who came across this place.

Journey observed over the people with a sad expression. Letting out a heavy sigh, he softly spoke. "Do you know why these people are in such a state, Joan?"

Joan slowly nodded, her eyes focused in on a woman who was silently sobbing to herself while tightly gripping a locket to her chest.

"I remember. They've lost their homes and families... They're really sad."

Sadness was a gross understatement to describe the emotion they were feeling but it still got the point across. Like most who resided on Peace Sign Island, the residents of Glastonbury Village were refugees. However, they had only recently come to the island after harrowing events that pushed them away from the home. These type of circumstances often stripped these individuals of something. From frivolous items to monetary possessions, it was different for everyone.

However, an unfortunate possibility was the loss of family and friends.

"It's a bit more complex than that but you're correct." Her father nodded. "These people have lost everything. Home, family, friends, morale... With nothing left from their old lives, it has demoralized them. They are husks of their former selves."

Listening in silence, Joan wondered how this could be connected to the Rising Sun Rock Festival.

"To close yourself off from the world and waste away in despair. It's no way to live..." Journey continued, letting out a sigh. "So, we need to spark that life back into them. That's the point of the festival. Through song, we bring out those suppressed emotions and embrace 'em into our community."

Joan looked at her father, confusion evident. "Music can do that...?"

"Tatsusususus!" With a laugh, Journey ruffled Joan's hair before picking her up into his arms. "Music can do anything. It can move mountains, stop wars, inspire hope and so much more." Looking off to the horizon, he proudly exclaimed with confidence.

"Trust me! Music is truly..."


"...amazing!" Joan whispered, red eyes shining in awe while listening to the band on stage. Despite the large audience making lots of noise in tandem with the concert, the little girl's focus was solely on the song. The melodic riff of the guitar. The loud beat of the drums. The beautiful voice of the singer. She couldn't help but resonate with the music, feeling something deep within her awaken.

"It's not just me..." She noted, tearing her eyes away from the stage to look around the area. Everyone was moving with the song, smiles plastered across their faces as laughter escaped their lips. Even the residents of Glastonbury Village looked more lively, the negativity which once took hold of their very being washed away, almost like a curse had been lifted.

It was magical to the young girl's mind. To know that a song could spread such joy.

It made her want to...

"I wanna be a musician... I wanna do that..." Joan exclaimed aloud, her voice carrying over the loudness of the festival. "I'll spread joy to everyone... My music will reach everyone... It'll spread happiness forever... Yeah, that's what I'll do."

From within the depths of her soul, a small flame bloomed into fruition. For Joan, this marked the beginning of her journey. Her desire to be the best. To spread joy and happiness to everyone through song.

"Look out, world. Here comes JoJo!"


"And that's the story of it.... Granted, I skipped around a bit but there wasn't anything important in between." Joan finished, taking a sip of soda which someone had graciously given to her. Throughout the tale, the musician had a nostalgic smile as she recounted the events.

There was a pause after Joan finished her story, a quiet that lasted for a few moments before the room erupted with cheers, applause, and whistles. Fans had tears in their eyes, deeply moved by Joan's tale and how she came to discover her passion for music.

"That was amazing, Joan!"

"I can't believe you went through all that!"

"Your story... it's so inspiring!"

The cheers and praises echoed throughout the club, and many of her fans had become rather emotional, deeply touched by Joan sharing such a personal story. Fans rushed forward, not to ask for autographs, but to simply thank her for allowing them to learn so much about their object of worship.

From their corner, Sorina and Nagasaki watched the scene as the former was also touched by the raw emotion in the room.

"What a wonderful tale" Sorina smiled as she was also a rather big fan of Joan and couldn't deny how blessed she was to be able to hear Joan's origin story.

"I had no idea that was the reason..." Nagasaki muttered, looking at Joan in a new light. It always struck her as odd about how obsessed the girl seemed to be about music but hearing that story put things into perspective. She couldn't help but smile as the musician waved off the praise with a red face. "Such a caring girl..."

"Don't let her hear you say that. Joan doesn't like to admit how sappy she can be." Roadie laughed, remembering what followed after the realization of her dream. The months of practicing guitar, learning to build her own guitar from scratch, and even playing in the Rising Sun Rock Festival.

"For her, everything changed when the sun rose up on the final performance. A new dawn, I'd say."

AC/DC walked up to Joan's side, rubbing against her leg in an attempt to cuddle with her. He was no Powerwolf, but he hoped that he could at least be a good pet to her... at least for now.

As the room continued to buzz with warmth and camaraderie, Sorina's expression grew thoughtful as she spoke to Roadie and Nagasaki. "With the recent attack and all, how long do you all plan on staying here on Grand Festa? As heart breaking as it would be to the fans, they couldn't fault you all for deciding to leave immediately." She asked, including herself in that group of people that would be sad to see them go so soon.

"I wouldn't worry about that." Roadie waved her concerns, looking on the display with a smile. "With her concert being ruined, Joan has no intention of leaving this place without putting on a show for everyone who came out to see her. Besides, even if Joan won't say it, there's no way she'd let her fans be attacked by a bunch of bastards like that guy who attacked this place."

Nagasaki nodded in agreement, recalling how the events within the Clear Sea. "While she isn't one to be honest with her feelings, she'll still act on what she believes is right regardless."

"I'm relieved to hear that," Sorina admitted, her eyes reflecting genuine gratitude. "I think the people of Grand Festa, especially the members of this club, need that kind of hope right now. Joan's music has been a source of joy for so many, and a live performance would mean the world in these trying times."

"That's what she's here for. It's her purpose in life." Roadie softly replied. "As long as there is a place in need, Joan will eventually arrive to bring joy to it. Through song or combat, that girl isn't gonna stop."

"It makes her reckless.." Nagasaki lamented with a huff.

The red-haired young man shrugged, knowing exactly how his sister is. "That's the way she always is. Of course, that means if those guys show back up..." Roadie looked over at Joan as she held AC/DC in her arms, tossing the dog up in the air.

"They'll see exactly how far she's willing to go for what she loves."

Wellerman[]

Avery's fan club was only a few short meters away from Joan's. Although the club house was notably smaller than her's. In his head he figured that would be a result of Joan being a famous musician on an island that celebrates both pirates and music. But in his heart he couldn't help but be jealous. "We'll just have to correct that later."

Saul raised an eyebrow towards Avery.

"Just thinking out loud," he continued. And he pushed open the doors.

They were barely inside the building for a few seconds before all eyes turned to them. There was a deafening silence as the people of Grand Festa stared at the new arrivals. It was difficult for situations to make Avery feel awkward, but the extended stares and silence were starting to do it for him. He was beginning to think he somehow walked into the wrong building. But as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, he was cut off by screeches more high-pitched than Yoichi's.

"It's Henry Avery!" one fan called.

"Oh my god, he's even more handsome in person!"

"I want to eat his hair!"

"Dude, you have to chill!"

It was at this point Avery understood what it meant to have actual fans as opposed to admirers. Admirers were a bit less annoying. He now understood the smallest modicum of hardship that Joan and her crew underwent when they ran into their fans.

"Hello, everyone! Yes, it's me, Captain of the Everything Pirates, Henry Avery. How's everyone doing today?"

His ears were met with squeals so high he was surprised his ears didn't start bleeding. Even so, he kept that smile on his face. The citizens, of all shapes, sizes, ages, and genders surrounded him, bombarding him with questions.

"One at a time, one at a time," Avery urged. He pointed at a little girl wearing an obviously fake eyepatch. "You."

"Is it true that you stole the Sol Arche from marines?"

"Yes. Next question."

"Were you actually the former king of Cairo?"

"Yes, but the World Government invaded after I left. Next question."

"Why are you on Grand Festa?"

"To see my friend, and one of the greatest musicians of all time, Joplin Joan perform, of course. Next question."

"Are you and your officer Yoichi in a romantic relationship?"

"Next question!"

As the fan club surrounded and badgered Avery, Saul stood off to the side. He would have been fidgeting with discomfort, but it hurt to move even the slightest bit for him. He was at least the slightest bit pleased that he wasn't drawing any attention in that moment. He didn't want them to judge him for his appearance. But then, one person walked over to him. A little boy, staring up at him not in fear or confusion, but in wonderment.

"You're Saul, right?" he said.

Saul nodded his head.

A smile grew on the boy's face.

"I've heard about you, the strongest experiment from Robben Island! Henry Avery convinced you to join his crew, along with a lot of the other experiments, after the Everything Pirates saved you all, and you've been loyally serving him since."

Saul nodded again.

"When those other pirates attacked, a giant sent out a big wave that almost killed my big brother. But you saved him. Thank you."

The boy wrapped his arms around Saul's massive leg, but recoiled. He tried to figure out a way to hug Saul's massive frame without pressing against his bone protrusions. After figuring it out, he gave him a soft hug. Despite the pain, Saul couldn't help but smile.

It didn't take much longer before the fans were all over them. In Saul's case it was literal. They climbed on top of the mountainous experiment, hanging off his arms and riding his back like a beast of burden. At least that's what the children were doing. The parents seemed embarrassed by this fact, but Avery waved them away. He could tell Saul was enjoying himself. And that was why he had brought him here in the first place.

"Yeah," said Avery to himself, "I call that a success."

Whitecross[]

Deal with the Devil[]

Under the cover of night at sea, a large ship could be seen anchored not too far away from Grand Festa. Inside the ship's dimly lit infirmary, Daven could be seen sitting on a chair, his face contorted with both pain and frustration. The ship's doctor, a lanky man with a graying beard and glasses perched on the edge of his nose, was carefully inspecting Daven's injuries.

"That runt," Daven spat, gritting his teeth in anger. "I'll make her pay for what she did to me. Humiliating me in front of my crew... She'll regret ever crossing paths with me!" He screamed as his fists tightened, ready to punch someone or something nearby.

The doctor sighed, wrapping several bandages over the black indent on his face. "You should be more cautious, Captain. That "runt" is still a Super Rookie that's earned her status"

Daven growled, pushing the doctor's hands away. "And just what da fuck do you know? Just do your damn job and patch me up ya hear!" He commanded as he sent a glare towards the doctor.

Before the doctor could respond however, the door to the infirmary burst open, revealing a tall, muscular man with a scar running across his cheek. "Captain!" he began, catching his breath, "The other captains have called a sudden meeting and are just waiting on you."

Daven's eyes gleamed with a newfound energy. He forced himself to sit upright, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through his body. "Alright" He nodded, walking forward as he headed towards the location where his allies were waiting for him, most likely to discuss and trade information on how they were going to seize Grand Festa for themselves.

A sinister smile stretched across Daven's face as he trekked through the ship. "That bitch won't know what hit her when I come back with these reinforcements."

"My, my... I love the confidence. But are you sure that'll be enough though?" From behind Daven, an ominous presence swept throughout the area as the mysterious voice spoke. While the nature of it was unknown, it was evident even the most inexperienced of individuals could sense the amount of malice that exuded like a crushing tidal wave.

"After all, they were able to crush your men with ease... You can only rely on that giant of yours and even then, he would have gone down eventually."

Daven's face tightened into a grimace, his jaw clenching at the unsolicited commentary. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but the truth was clear: his forces had been bested, and the humiliation clung to him like a foul stench.

"I had the element of surprise last time, and it was squandered," Daven shot back, trying to maintain his composure. "This time, it's different. We have the allied forces." He stated, truly believing things would be different this time with the additional forces.

"Oh, allied forces won't be quite enough," a new voice said. A man in a cloak walked into the room. He had disheveled white hair, styled into a wimpy-looking mohawk. "If you were just dealing with the Sea-Star Pirates maybe, but the Everything Pirates are here as well. And they're pretty big fans of Joplin Joan's music. Not to mention the Yellow Tempest Gale D. Joseph, and White Hair Kuzma as well. They won't let you get away with another attack. You may have quantity, but they definitely beat you in quality."

Daven's face flushed red, veins pulsing visibly on his forehead as he turned to the newcomer. "Then what would you suggest, huh?!" he spat out, nearly shouting. "We've already been humiliated once; do you expect us to just sit back and take it?"

"Calm yourself, my friend. There is no need to lose yourself." Despite the placating nature of his tone, there was a sinister vibe about it. With an obsidian-colored arm, the man rubbed his chin in thought. "What you need is to even the playing field! They have so many heavy hitters on their side, it's only right you have some of your own, no?"

"Exactly!" said the man with the mohawk, "and that's where I come in. That quality that you're so desperately lacking right now."

Daven looked between the two figures, his eyes narrowing as he assessed them. "Alright, I'm listening," he finally said, cautiously optimistic but still on edge. "What are you offering that could possibly turn the tide in our favor?" He asked, wanting to know what exactly they were bringing to the table.

"Simply my services," said the man with the mohawk, "I specialize in taking down young upstarts such as these. And not just with strength as well. They're more dangerous as a unit, so if you split them up, they'll be far easier to take down. I've done it before, and it's quite an easy feat for me to perform. You won't even have to pay me for it. I'll just take the bodies of some of the pirates with the highest bounties as compensation."

Daven's eyes narrowed, studying the mohawked mercenary for a long moment before finally nodding. "Fine, you have yourself a deal. As for you," he turned his attention to the source of the other voice, "what exactly can you contribute to this operation besides your mouth?"

"There are two things I can offer to you. The first would be allies." Reaching within his cloak, a set of Den Den Mushi were retrieved and placed on a table beside the man. As expected, each one had a distinct look about them. "As it turns out, you are the only one with a grudge against those on the island. It seems like the wheels of fate have gathered them there for a reason and vengeance appears to be just that."

With a devilish chuckle, he continued while pulling out a set of dark-colored crystals that crackled with unknown malefic energy. "The second is an edge for yourself and a person you trust. By simply stabbing yourself with these, they'll give you untold power and strength beyond what you've seen on the seven seas..." Tossing them up into the air, the man causally caught them as he stared deep into Daven's eyes.

"So, what do you say?"

Daven scrutinized the Den Den Mushi and the dark crystals, his eyes flicking back and forth between the two offers. The temptation was evident on his face; this was an opportunity to gain a significant advantage. But something in the cloaked man's demeanor made Daven ponder his decision carefully. Power like that usually came with strings attached and the kind of strings this ominous fellow was giving off sent shivers down his spine.

However, the memory of that bitch Joan indenting his face caused his caution to fade as he wanted the power to absolutely crush her beneath his feet. "Fuck it" He said before reaching out to grab the dark crystal as a grin formed on his bandaged face.

"You've got yourself a deal"

Final Gambit[]

Several days had passed since the attack on Grand Festa, and despite the chaos and destruction, the island had bounced back remarkably well. Pirate crews and fans alike had rolled up their sleeves, putting in work to rebuild the festive paradise from the invaders with impressive efficiency under the supervision of Mayor Oscar. For the Sea Star Pirates and their newfound allies, these days were a blend of hard labor, exploration, and mingling with their treasured fans were just excited to bear near them. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation as the island prepared for the next big event: the much-awaited concert by Joplin Joan and her crew.

At the heart of the island, the stage was being set up once again as the workers were putting the final touches on the event, moving things around and what not. Joan, Gray, and the rest of the Sea Stars were hanging out near the stage, immersed in a conversation before they were interrupted by the approach of Oscar, the illustrious Mayor of Grand Festa and his imposing fishman bodyguard, Sojiro.

"Good morning to you all" Oscar greeted them, a broad smile splitting his charming face as he stopped in front of the group. Sojiro, who was following him, gave everyone a respectful nod.

"I can't thank you all enough for your aid in the rebuilding. I, no, Grand Festa, will never forget this" Oscar said sincerely as he gave a courteous bow.

"Psh, don't worry about it." Dismissing Oscar's gratitude with a wave, Joan smiled earnestly. "We were paid to host a concert and host a concert is what we are gonna do. There is no way I was gonna disappoint my fans by leaving them high and dry when they've been waiting for who knows how long!"

"That and with that pirate and his crew lurking around, we might as well protect this place while we're at it." Roadie added in a deadpan tone.

AC/DC ran back over to the rest of the crew, barking happily as he went up to Joan. In the vest he was wearing, he was carrying several pieces of equipment for the crew to use. He barked again, gesturing with his head for them to grab them. He was carrying guitar picks, drum sticks, tuners, and a variety of other smaller tools. He may have lacked thumbs, but he had been putting in his fair share of work while everyone was putting the stage back together.

Gray caught one of his drumsticks mid-air, twirling it in his fingers before resting it on his shoulder. "Seriously dude, no more thank-yous are needed. We're all good here. This island has given us a lot, so consider it a two-way street." He grinned.

Oscar smiled warmly, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "Very well, I shall restrain my gratitude. But know that it's there, all the same. I sincerely hope that today's performance goes off without a hitch. After all the turmoil, Grand Festa could use a celebration to remember."

"Trust me, we intend to deliver exactly that," Gray responded, smirking confidently as his confidence was shared by his crew mates.

"I'm also looking forward to hearing that" a voice chimed in, causing everyone to turn their heads. Walking towards them was Joey, the captain of the Tempest Pirates and the resident pretty boy, approaching them with a casual wave. Joey had been a huge help during the reconstruction thanks to the power of his devil fruit and thus, gained even more popularity and reverence along with Joan, Avery, and the others. Oscar expressed his thanks towards him as Joey waved him off before staring at Joan.

"You still owe me a song, right? To blow my socks off with your music?" Joey asked with a half grin.

Joan laughed, throwing her head back. "I'll blow the entire roof off of this place once I'm done with it! I've got something a pretty boy like you will enjoy!"

"Isn't this an outdoor concert?" Avery walked in, laughing at his own bad joke, with Saul just behind him. He was carrying a large switchboard. They had been putting in their fair share of work when it came to reconstructing the stage and preparing for the major event. The other members of the Everything Pirates that had taken the ship with them had helped out too. It was easier for the more monstrous members to make their presence known after the island's population became inoculated from Saul's prolonged visit, so it was less scary for them to be around and help out. At least it seemed as though the townspeople were more comfortable with it.

Avery stopped laughing and Saul put the switchboard down. "Where should we put this by the way? We just keep getting sent around from person to person asking where it goes and they keep sending us somewhere else."

Roadie's eyebrow twitched in annoyance, recalling who he had given instructions regarding the switchboard and where it was meant to go. "Son of a... Just follow me, big guy. I'll show ya where it is meant to go." With an annoyed sigh, he walked off while grumbling about lazy workers and people who can't listen worth a damn.

"You certainly have a capable crew Joan" Joey noted with a playful smirk while Oscar nodded in agreement. He then glanced around the stage, his observant eyes scanning the ongoing preparations.

"Things do seem to be shaping up well," he noted. "The stage looks even grander than before." Despite the optimism in his tone however, a shadow of concern clouded his eyes. "If those rogues are plotting a counterattack, I believe today would be their best shot."

Joey, ever the confident one, snorted as he slid his hands in his pockets. "Let em come. They ain't got enough manpower between the lot of them to handle all of us." He assured.

"You got that right. If one ass whooping wasn't enough, we'll more than happy to give em another one. Ain't that right, captain?" Gray chimed in, sharing in Joey's thoughts at not being worried about the return of those pirates.

Avery gave Saul a brief wave as he picked up the switchboard and walked off with Roadie.

"Never a good idea to go looking for a fight," said Avery, "although I do enjoy a good one. But I'm certain things will go a lot more smoothly than last time if an attack does occur. The rest of my crew, the ones I brought with me at least, will actually be in attendance at the concert this time. Those other pirates will regret attacking after seeing what the Everything Pirates has in store for them."

"Huh, I didn't know you brought anyone else with ya." Joan mumbled to herself, briefly imaging Avery leading a group of monstrous-looking individuals like Saul while the former was wildly laughing. Shaking the thought from her head, she looked at Oscar. "See? You've got nothing to worry about. You've got the best musicians and security on the Blue Sea. Everything will be fine!"

Oscar gave a sincere nod, his deep-set eyes reflecting the hope and trust he placed in the pirates before him. "Thank you, Joan. I truly believe in the strength and resolve of everyone here."

Just as the mood lightened a loud, boisterous voice cut through the air. "And don't you forget about me, darlings!" Vicky's voice boomed as she sauntered over with a grin as wide as the horizon, her guitar strapped to her back as she greeted the group in high spirits. "There's no way I'm letting those punks trash this place before I get a chance to see Joan play live!" She declared with fire burning in her eyes, earning a few chuckles from the gathered group.

Before more pleasantries could be exchanged however, a young lookout came sprinting towards the group, his face pale and his breathing labored. He saluted hastily to Mayor Oscar. "Sir! Multiple ships have been spotted on the horizon, all heading straight for Grand Festa!"

Oscar's face darkened, his earlier joy extinguished. He met the gaze of each pirate in front of him. "It seems our fears were not unfounded."

Joey smirked, cracking his knuckles in anticipation. "Figured they'd come crawling back for more."

Gray's grin mirrored Joey's, his fingers spinning the drumsticks in his fingers. "Let's show those punks why they made a big mistake coming back here"

"Alright, everyone!" said Avery, "let's head to port and make sure those ships don't even make landfall. I've got a pretty advanced vessel in the harbor that can make short work of anyone intent on interrupting the Sea-Star Pirates' show for a second time!"

Despite the annoyance at her concert being interrupted once more, a smile spread across Joan's face as she loudly cracked her knuckles. "Hell yeah! Let's show these bastards who's boss around here." As a plume of flames briefly expelled from her hand, she declared.

"Let's rock!"


The sun's golden rays shined on the gentle waves as the Grand Festa's harbor came into view. Several ships, no doubt belonging to Daven and his crew, were drawing closer, cutting through the ocean seas with a clear objective as the Jolly Rogers flying high on their masts left no doubt towards their malicious intent.

By the port, residents and visitors of Grand Festa who had heard the news began to scatter and run per Oscar and Olivia's instructions. The previous attack had been unexpected, and the memory was still fresh in their minds as they didn't object and left everything in the hands of the pirates they reverred and worshipped.

Soon, Joan, Joey, and Avery along with their crews made their way to the spacious entrance of the habor, staring right at the approaching ships that would soon arrive.

On the lead ship, standing proudly on the bow, was Daven. His previously battered face now carried a smirk of confidence. His wounds seemed to have healed, but the humiliation he suffered was evident in his glare. Beside him stood several members of his crew, including a tall, imposing figure with a scar running down the side of his face, whom many recognized as Daven's right-hand man.

"Well, well, well," Daven called out, his voice echoing across the water. "Did you really think we'd just sail away after what happened?"

Joey's grin was a clear mix of anticipation and amusement. "You must be a glutton for punishment to come back after the beating you took." He motioned with his chin towards Joan, who also looked stoked that Daven had returned for another beating.

Daven laughed, the sound echoing eerily. "You brats must be fucking stupid if you think we'd come back without making a few... changes" He worded ominously.

As he said that, more ships appeared from behind the first fleet, their designs unfamiliar to the residents of Grand Festa. These weren't just Daven's men. He had brought allies. The harbor was now surrounded, and the situation certainly seemed more bleak than before.

"Well damn, he's not messing around this time" Gray noted, counting the extra ships that Daven had procured. He honestly had to tip his hat to the man for going to this much effort for his revenge.

Avery was shaking. Looking upon all those ships, that armada, the number of pirates and enemies; it was overwhelming. At least it would have been to most people. To Avery, it got his blood boiling.

He looked forward, a massive, wild grin on his face. "Tell me they didn't bring this many ships, Saul."

His companion, who had joined him as a part the main defense force, nodded.

"You know, I thought bringing the Sol Arche here would be overkill for just headed to a concert, but I'm so glad we brought it!" Avery raised his hand, pointing at his ship in the harbor. "Sunshine! Give 'em all hell!"

A vibration seemed to travel through the air. Anyone that walked in the path between Avery's finger and his docked ship would feel it. The connection the two shared, through the power of the Fune Fune no Mi. The ship raised its anchor, the cannons went to the ready, and the ship itself began to move out to sea.

Many of the enemy pirates would likely be confused. Since Avery had ordered most of the crew from the ship onto Grand Festa, the ship, itself, appeared as though it was moving on its own. Although there was still one crew member left aboard, the one that made Avery an amazing helmsman, the little sprite that gave the ship life.

Cannonballs were reloaded the second they were fired. A laser blew other ships to bits in one shot. Enemy cannons merely bounced off the hull, as it was made of Adam Wood. And every so often, the ship would completely vanish from sight, only to reappear with another volley of destruction, helping to lay the enemy vessels to waste before they could even make landfall. That isn't to say that the Sol Arche was invincible, it did start to crack and take damage after repeated assaults, but the pilot of the ship didn't just tell it what to do, but it repaired it as well. Even an advanced warship such as this one wouldn't have stood a chance against such a massive armada without this ability. And even if it was overwhelmed at any point, it could turtle behind a forcefield, taking the attention away of some of the other ships from Grand Festa and force them to waste their ammo to just keep the ship in place.

Avery looked on with pride at the war machine he had stolen the day he had officially become a pirate captain. "Good girl!"

"Hmm..." Joan looked on at the display with a keen eye, rubbing her chin in thought. Despite how easily their enemy's numbers had been thoroughly reduced, something didn't make sense in the musician's eyes. "I don't get it. Why would they decide to return now? Unless they've got a secret weapon or something, nothing about this is gonna change for 'em."

"Maybe they just really wanted to ruin your concert after you wrecked their boss," said Avery, still smiling as he watched the Sol Arche do its work.

"I guess.." Joan hummed, stilly clearly suspicious of the situation. As she watched the ongoing skirmish between sea vessels, her eye darted over to the glint of light which shined amongst the ships before an absurd amount of green energy-like projectilesーeasily recognizable as flying slash attacksーsliced through the air and started to bombard the barrier of the Sol Arche with relentless intent.

"What the shit?!" She yelled in confusion.

"What the hell!" Avery shouted.

The barrier around the ship was holding fast, but the multitude of attacks served as a far more effective bombardment than any of the cannon volleys fired at the ship so far, freeing up more of the enemy vessels to head towards Grand Festa. Avery hated the situation, but he couldn't see where the attacks were coming from. And the range of his Haki certainly wasn't great enough for him to be able to sense his enemy's whereabouts. All he knew was that the incoming assault was going to be somewhat worse than he initially thought.

"I thought that this guy only had weak soldiers," Avery continued. "Who pinned down the Sol Arche?"

"It can't be that guy who you fought against." Joan commented, recalling the stone giant who fled from the island during their last encounter. "Those weren't earth-based projectiles... If he had someone like this on his crew before, he would have used 'em during the first raid but there is no way that bastard recruited that fast."

Daven, standing atop his flagship, shouted across the chaotic waves with a triumphant grin, his voice amplified by a makeshift Den Den Mushi horn. "Hah! You fools thought you still had the upper hand? If ya like that surprise, I'm sure you'll love what else we've got in store for ya!" He laughed as to his side stood a tall cloaked figure, wielding a thin glowing blade that shimmered in his arm. Each swipe the man took sent another volley of energy slashes toward the Sol Arche, keeping it under constant bombardment.

With the Sol Arche distracted, Daven's remaining fleet pushed forward with renewed vigor, their eyes set on Grand Festa.

Daven grinned menacingly as he stared right at Joan, the object of his hatred and vendetta. "You thought you could humiliate me and walk away unscathed? This island will be mine, and I'm going to personally see that you are crushed beneath my feet like the worm you are." He declared, snapping his fingers as if it were some sort of signal.

Emerging from the ranks of Daven's special units, several cloaked figures stepped forward. Their faces were obscured by masks and hoods, but their posture and the way they moved indicated they were warriors of a higher caliber. Each bore distinct tattoos on their visible arms, a mark of their allegiance.

"I hope you don't mind that I brought some special back up to deal with the lot of you" Daven sneered as he and his special unit jumped from their ship and landed right at the entrance of the harbor, staring the trio of Joey, Joan, and Avery down along with their crews. The remaining horde of Daven's fleet began to disembark from their ships as well as they roared loudly and were ready to attack as well as they rallied behind their leader.

Gray, twirling his drumsticks and ready for a fight, spoke to Joan beside him. "I'm guessing you'll want a rematch with captain "Can't take a hint" over there huh? That just leaves the rest of these cloaked freaks to us to clean up after."

"Pretty much." Joan casually confirmed, unbuckling her guitar as with a strum of her fingers, a surge of electricity crackled around the instrument. Loudly cracking her neck, "So, Davey boy, who the hell are your little friends here? Ya'll meet up at the same jerk circle or what?"

Avery was gritting his teeth. The Sol Arche wasn't in any danger yet, but it certainly didn't help their side to have it pinned down like this. "Saul!" he ordered, "go take out that swordsman. We need Sunshine free to attack the other ships."

The behemoth nodded, running into the water and taking off with the speed of the Fish-Men.

"Until then," Avery grinned, "how many of these guys do you reckon we can take down in the meantime?"

"It shouldn't take that long." Joan casually remarked, looking over at the group with a smirk. However, her confident expression shifted as she felt unreasonable amount of malice coming from one of the cloaked individuals, noting the pair of golden eyes glaring at her.

With a raised eyebrow, she gestured at the specific individual. "You got a problem with me, buddy? If so, ya should speak up or bow out."

"You little...!" The intense emotion of rage nearly doubled at the disrespectful statement, ready to attack Joan in an instant. However, he was stopped by another cloaked figure holding them back, an elderly voice clipped through the air.

"Calm yourself, boy. Before you end up out." With the words of wisdom, it calmed the other figure down.

"Sounds like they're itching to fight as much as we are," said Avery, beginning to crack his knuckles. "How about we oblige them?"

Daven's eyes narrowed as he took in the scene before him. "Enough of this bickering!" he spat out, drawing everyone's attention as he had enough of this back and forth farce going on. "Listen up. Ya'll can do whatever the fuck you want and settle your petty grudge matches however you can. Just remember..." His eyes stared right at Joan. "That brat is mine and mine alone."

As he spoke, Daven clenched his fists, revealing a pair of intricately designed gauntlets that seemed to fuse into his arms. He longer was using his Greatsword from before as energy crackled around his body, signifying some form of power he had acquired. If they thought he was the same man from a few days ago that had been defeated so easily, they would be in for a rude awakening.

Without a moment's hesitation, Daven crouched low, his gauntlet-clad hands touching the ground. His muscles tightened, and an aura of sheer power enveloped him. The ground beneath him seemed to tremble in anticipation, as if knowing it would soon be the launch pad for his fury. With a roar that shook through the air, Daven burst forward, rocketing straight towards Joan with blinding speed as his right arm pulled back, cocked and ready to unleash the full brunt of his burning wrath he had endured for his humiliation.

"Mammoth Magnum!" Daven screamed, his fist now glowing with concentrated energy and magnified by the power of his gauntlets surging forward in a straight punch aimed right at Joan's face.

"Aw, you really do care about me!" Joan cheekily replied, smirking at the challenge. With Sun Goddess at the ready, she was prepared to clash against Daven's rage-fueled technique . However, her eyes widened in surprise upon noticing the earlier cloaked figure charge at the same time, sword jutting out. In the heat of the moment, she held out her guitar to block both attacks, the tremendous force of the unintentionally onslaught sending her flying back.

As she soared through the air, the musician stabbed her guitar into the ground, anchoring herself and eventually coming to a halt. She glared at Daven and her other attack, frustration and annoyance on clear display.

"What the shit was that, ya bastards?! I thought this was gonna be one at a time, not a two-on-one?!" She shouted at the top of her lungs, shaking her fist at them.

From behind the duo, the elderly hooded figure could only shake his head in disappointment. "As expected..."

"Hey! Joan!" shouted Avery. He turned to where she been sent, beginning to sprint towards her location. "Not much of a fair fight. How about I help even the od–"

Avery was silenced by... a thing. A giant metal box that had just landed directly where he had been standing. There were no windows, doors, or holes. It was just a giant box, meant for holding things.

Joey, sensing movement from the corner of his eye, swiftly sidestepped a sword swing from another cloaked figure as his shirt was slightly torn into from the close attack.

"Whew, that was close," Joey said, his eyes twinkling with excitement and caution as he stared at the sword wielding figure. "You want a piece of me, huh?" He taunted as the two stared each other down.

With a snort of laughter, the hooded man brandished his odachi. "More than you could ever know..."

Meanwhile, Gray grabbed his drumsticks and twirled them expertly between his fingers. "Alright, it's time to get this show on the road!" His voice rose above the chaos, rallying his crew and their allies. "Joan, Joey, Avery—handle your fights! We've got this!"

With a grin, Gray charged into the swarm of pirates approaching from Daven's ship, his drumsticks becoming a blur as he moved. Each strike resonated with the sound of a drum, creating sonic blasts that knocked pirates off their feet, leaving them disoriented and vulnerable to further attacks from the Sea Stars and their allies.

"Back off, scum. Your grudge against her is fresh..." From underneath his cloak, a stream of dark electricity crackled around the hooded figure's sword while they glared at Daven with intensity. With barely restrained anger, he slowly raised his blade towards the pirate captain. "...mine goes further back than you can understand!"

Daven's eyes narrowed, the air between him and the cloaked figure thickening with tension as the Crestfall Captain shot him an intense glare. "Ah?" He sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "You listen here punk. I don't care how long your vendetta has been stewing. She's my prey, got it? The humiliation she caused me—"

"Enough bickering!" The hooded man turned from Joey towards his associates, reprimanding the duo like children. It was clear this wasn't the first time they had argued about this subject and he was absolutely tired of having to mediate. "There are two of them, no?! One of you go over the eldest and the other shall deal with the child here. Regardless, both of you win!"

Joan blinked, looking over at the elderly voiced man in confusion. "Wait, what?"

With the solution presented before him, the younger hooded figure went silent for a moment, mulling over the idea before loudly huffing. "Fine... I can deal with that. Besides, it's not like you are strong enough to deal with her as you are."

Daven's eyes narrowed as they flicked between the hooded men and Joan. For a moment, it looked like he was ready to argue, to lay claim once more to his so-called prey. But finally, he grunted, "Fine. But remember, like I said, Joan is mine. Don't think you can swoop in and steal my thunder." He declared, turning his attention back to Joan, his eyes alight with a mixture of excitement and something darker.

"Well then," Daven growled, raising his gauntlet-clad fists once more. "Shall we continue?"

As the elderly-voiced hooded figure charged at Joey, sword at the ready and the other leapt off to head over in search of their target, Joan cracked her knuckles with a ear-splitting grin. "Yeah. Round two, bitch. It's time to rock 'n roll!"

Primitive[]

"Then do me a favor, and DIE!" Daven shouted as he gathered power into his legs and jumped high into the sky, soaring past the clouds as he looked down at where prey stood with a devilish grin. The atmosphere around him seemed to crackle and churn, a visible manifestation of his intent to beat the Sea-Star pirate captain as the gauntlets around his hands began to glow ominously. Then, like a comet breaking free from gravity, he plummeted back to the earth with insane velocity, screaming the name of his attack.

"Elephant Meteor!" He screamed, nose diving towards Joan in an attempt to crush her with overwhelming force multiplied by the momentum of his crash.

As Daven leapt into the air in a fiery display, Joan tracked his movement with a keen eye. While the musician wasn't exactly worried about a rematch, she immediately took notice to the sudden leap ー not literally ー in power he acquired when compared to their previous bout. Whatever had happened within the past two days, it was enough to put her on edge. Regardless of the situation, she'd accept the challenge with open arms.

"Jeez, so serious! The weapon wasn't the only thing that changed about you!" With a backflip, Joan leapt onto the building she had previously been sent into, swiftly arriving onto the roof in a matter of moments. As her guitar sparked with electricity, she cheekily replied. "Anyways, the best I can help ya with is your defeat! Thunder Rolls!"

Joan strummed her Sun Goddess, the thunderous sound of an electric riff occurring at the same time as bolts of electricity surged forth through the sky, blasting towards Daven. While they converged in on the bloodthirsty enemy, their shape took on that of wheels, intent on electrocuting the man with high voltage.

Hurtling towards Joan with the unstoppable force of his Elephant Meteor, Daven saw the surging electrical bolts shaping into rolling wheels heading straight towards him but he didn't buckle or change his attack. Perhaps he might have been scared a few days ago, but he was a different man now and he feared no one as the fire in his eyes lit up.

"I won't be stopped by your party tricks!" Daven roared, channeling all his rage and power into his gauntlets as he clicked a button, the dials embedded into his gauntlets activating as they released steam and let loose a burst of wind pressure. In doing so, Daven's momentum and figure blurred forward with blinding speed as he smashed right into Joan's electrical wheels, momentarily clashing with them as Daven seemed numb to the electricity and roared before the added momentum managed to break through as he continued forward with a devilish grin to stomp Joan into the ground.

"What the-?!" Despite her surprise, Joan went on the move as she dashed across the rooftop with a burst of speed via Quicksilver and used the momentum to leap away. In the midst of her escape, Daven finally struck the earth with the impact of a meteor befittingly, causing the ground crack and shake as a shockwave swept through the area. Buildings and structures crumpled into a heaps of stone, wood and metal, scattering debris across the once lively streets.

As Joan landed on the ground, she snarled at Daven. "What's your fucking deal?! The hell do you want this place so badly?" Her eyes narrowed, briefly recalling the words spoken by the mayor about the resources and potential recruits. While it made sense, this level of devotion was simply unreasonable.

Daven emerged from the center of the crater, his form menacing as dust and debris floated around his titanic body. He slowly looked up, his fierce gaze resting upon the figure of Joan with an intensity that bordered on madness. The gauntlets on his arms hissed, emitting steam as if they were engines overheating from the exertion of his power.

"At first, it was about securing the resources around this joint. But now?" He paused, his lips curling into a snarl. "I don't give a damn about any of that shit anymore. All I want is to crush you, Joan. To wipe away the stain of my humiliation at your hands." He admitted, his pride refusing to allow such a thing go unanswered.

He flexed his arms, the gauntlets glowing ominously once more, ready to unleash another attack as Daven jumped into the air and stood level with Joan as he screamed the name of his next attack.

"Eagle Whip!" Daven whipped his arms forward as the air itself seemed to tear, releasing forth a series of air blades that sliced through the atmosphere, hurtling toward Joan with the intention of cleaving her in half.

"Bitch, you ain't special! I've beaten plenty of people and they aren't this serious about it!" Joan adjusted her grip on Sun Goddess, holding the instrument by the neck like to a baseball bat as she swung her guitar with rapidity, sending forth blades of compressed wind which cut through the piles of debris that were in their way. The near identical attacks clashed against each other, causing an unexpected reaction in the form of a cyclone which enveloped the duo.

Undeterred by the phenomena, the musician took off like a bullet and closed the distance between herself and Daven. "How about ya pick up a damn hobby and fuck off?! Thundersteel!" A surge of blue electricity covered the instrument, cracking with great intensity and untold power while Joan swung Sun Goddess directly towards Daven's stomach.

"Beating you IS my hobby!" Daven roared back at Joan, his voice filled with malice and a twisted sense of enjoyment for this fight. He flicked a switch on his gauntlets as steam hissed forth and brought with it a concentrated burst of wind pressure. With the power of his gauntlets now fully unleashed, he thrust his fist forward to meet Joan's electrified guitar swing.

Their mid-air clash was astounding, sending a thunderous shockwave in every direction as the force of the collision was immense. Joan's guitar crackled with energy, zapping Daven, who winced as the currents stung him. Yet, his grin didn't fade; it only grew wider. He was in his element, thriving on the challenge and the adrenaline of battle that he had forgotten about.

He was completely unrecognizable from the pirate who had been so easily defeated by Joan several days prior.

Using the steam-powered gauntlets to his advantage, Daven initiated the next phase of his assault. He activated the steam jets in his boots, and with a blast of power by kicking off the air while in-mid clash, his body vanished in a blur of speed, reappearing in an instant above Joan, having gotten where exactly where he wanted her.

"Preodactyl Drop!" Daven shouted, his legs swinging downward with the added burst of speed from his jet boots as he aimed a devastating bicycle kick straight at Joan's hat-covered head.

"Maybe you should try knitting?!" Despite her heated suggestion, it did nothing to deter Daven as his leg struck true and kicked her in the head, sending Joan spiraling down below into the earth. Bouncing off of the ground like a rock skipping across the river, she thrust her hand out and preformed a handspring, flipping onto her feet. With a few scraps across her body, Joan clicked her tongue in annoyance and readjusted her hat before loudly strumming her guitar.

"Whitesnake!" From the base of the guitar, a turbulent burst of wind swirled out of the instrument and swiftly took on the form of a serpent. Letting out a loud hiss, the appropriately-named construct slithered through the sky at the hurricane-like speed with its maw open towards Daven. However, Joan wasn't idle in the action of her technique, leaping after it as the swirling tempest carried her along to follow up in the moment.

Daven, caught in the midst of recharging, could do little more than brace himself as the serpentine shaped attack raced straight towards upon him. Clicking his tongue, Daven had no other options but to cross his arms in front of his body to block the attack as the Whitesnake engulfed him, the ripping winds of the attack swallowing him whole. Gritting his teeth against the barrage, Daven's muscles bulged, his body resisting the force that intended to rend him apart. "I won't be stopped by the likes of this!" he bellowed, his voice thunderous and powerful against the roaring wind.

With nothing but sheer willpower and brute strength, Daven slowly pried the coils of the wind serpent apart, the steam from his gauntlets hissing violently as it met the cool air. With a monumental effort, Daven finally tore free from the Whitesnake's grasp, his body floating in mid-air as he panted a few times while staring at the approaching figure of Joan racing towards him.

With his steam equipment now fully charged again, Daven readied himself for a counterstrike. As Joan approached, riding the winds with the grace of a storm herself, Daven unleashed his follow up move as he cocked his leg back and poured strength into it. Steam surrounded the leg that he had raised, generating a high frequency sound of steam emission before he kicked his leg forward, and shot forth a four-sided crescent-shaped air kick, amplified by the steam and his momentum. The humongous multi-kick sliced through the winds, a visible arc of destruction barreling towards Joan with insane force, intending to split her in half.

"Tyranno Burst!"

With the Rankyaku-like technique slicing through the sky and speeding towards Joan, she simply grinned in the face of danger. Despite the direness of the situation, it was clear she was thriving throughout it all. Like a musician at the center of the stage, Joan was in her natural element. "Don't get cocky! That's just the start of it! HERE COMES...!"

Her hands danced across Sun Goddess, playing a fierce melody befitting of a rock ballad as fiery wisp manifested around Joan. With a wide grin, she loudly strummed the strings of the guitar with ferocity. "...DRAGON FORCE!" An explosive burst of red-hot flames completely engulfed the young girl, her visage being hidden beneath the element of power. As the fire ebbed and flowed erratically, it swiftly took on the crude shape of an enormous western dragon, letting out a bestial roar which spewed embers across the area.

As the blazing creature continued to soar forth, it was met with the four-sided razor wind, cutting the dragon into the respective amount of pieces. However, instead of simply losing their shape, they continued forward as Daven was now confronted with the reality of four dragons racing towards him, with the uncertainty of which one contained Joan within it.

As the raging dragons neared, the musician laughed amidst the crackling flames of the one she was hidden in. Ready to follow up, she clenched her knuckles and tensed her muscles, prepared to unleash a devastating punch onto the vengeance-fueled man.

Daven, now facing the onslaught of fire dragons barreling towards him, gritted his teeth in frustration. The air around him began to burn with heat as the figures of the dragons bore down as he couldn't tell which one contained the figure of Joan.

"I won't fall no matter what you do!" he roared, his voice echoing throughout the area in defiance to Joan's attack. The power contain within his steam gauntlets began to gather, whistling like a kettle about to reach its boiling point as Daven activated them once more.

With a fierce determination etched into his face, Daven unleashed his counter attack. "Twin Meteor Fist!" he bellowed, throwing forward a double punch. Steam exploded from his gauntlets in a torrential surge, the air pressure magnifying the force of his attack as two colossal fists of condensed vapor shot forth, aiming to obliterate the dragons and hopefully Joan as well.

The steam fists collided with two of the dragons, their impact causing them to burst apart in a shower of flames and smoke. But there was no sign of Joan; the dragons that had been hit were empty, mere decoys as the remaining two cruised forward at the stunned Daven.

Upon seeing Daven's state, Joan didn't waste a single moment of the opportunity, propelling herself out the scorching drake she had hidden within via Quicksilver. Moving through the sky at breakneck speeds, she swiftly closed in the distance between them and appeared directly behind him as the fiery constructs continued charging forward.

With a savage grin and clenched fist, the musician reeled her arm back while plucking a string on Sun Goddess with her free hand. The thunderous bass of the instrument coincide with the activation of the Resonance Dial, the earth-trembling vibrations flowing throughout her body and into her readied fist. Joan let out a bark of laughter, throwing her head back. "Looks like you jinx'd yourself! Sonic Strike!"

Her body moved in tandem with the sound, acting as the medium which would carry it into its target. As blood surged and muscles tensed, Joan unleashed a devastating corkscrew punch towards the back of Daven's head. With enough force to shatter stone, it was more than enough to send him flying into the blazing dragons ahead.

As Daven turned around instinctively, he was a step too late as Joan's fist, powered by the Resonance Dial, connected squarely with his cheek in a brutal corkscrew punch. The impact was immediate and fierce as his body went rigid for the briefest of moments before he was sent hurtling back, his trajectory aimed straight for the fiery dragons. The inferno engulfed him as he collided with the creatures, a blinding explosion blossoming in mid-air from the collision of Daven's body against Joan's elemental attack masterpiece. Moments would pass before the flames would soon clear, Daven's body descending through the air like a fallen star as he crashed into the ground with a heavy thud that sent dust and debris flying all over.

Struggling to his knees, Daven's body was filled with burns and bruises, his breathing ragged and uneven as he watched Joan's figure in the sky. Through sheer force of will, he pushed himself to his knees, his legs shaking from the effort as the gauntlets on his arms steamed weakly, a sign of their overuse. He spat out a mouthful of blood and dirt as he spoke to Joan, not caring if she could hear him or not.

"I refuse to lose... to you..." He looked up, his eyes filled with a mixture of pain and unyielding pride along with something else. Something... ominous.

"I... WON"T BE BEATEN, YOU HEAR ME!?" He roared in defiance.

"I don't know about that." Joan descended from the sky, landing atop of a broken chimney as the structure slid forth and deconstructed itself upon contact, carrying the musician onto the ground. As she stood on the earth once more, she heaved her guitar onto her shoulder with an annoyed huff. While she couldn't explain it, there was something about the situation which caused her to feel Daven's emotions and to say they were getting dark would be an understatement.

It was almost as if he was ready to be consumed by it, barely being contained.

Regardless, she cheekily smirked at the downed pirate. "Looks like you are pretty beaten to me. Granted, hands and knees on the floor can also suggest something else."

Joan's taunt only seemed to fan the flames of Daven's rage as he clenched his fist and glared up at her with a level of pride and determination that was borderline bizarre.

As if coming to a decision, Daven retrieved the orb given to him by the cloaked man from the depths of his tattered coat as it pulsated with a malicious and dark glow.

"WHAT ARE YA WAITING FOR YA PIECE OF JUNK!? GIVE ME POWER!" he growled, his voice cracking with desperation and fury as he held the orb aloft, the dark energy within it swirling ominously.

The orb's glow intensified, casting a sinister light that seemed to consume the very air around him. Dark tendrils of energy snaked out from the orb, wrapping around Daven's form, seeping into his skin, his eyes, transforming him. The darkness swirled and writhed, a visual manifestation of his unchecked wrath and dark affiliated power. As the dark energy consumed him, Daven's form began to change. His muscles bulged grotesquely as veins appeared all over his forehead, his stature grew, and his eyes—once filled with human anger—now glowed with an abyssal light devoid of reason or mercy. The orb had not only answered his call for strength; it had unlocked something primordial within him, something that had been waiting for an opportunity to be unleashed.

"Grrrrr....!" Daven seemed to be in some sort of pain due to the transformation but that grimace soon warped into a grin as he glanced at his arms, feeling the surging power within him as the mysterious orb had granted his wish — with interest as his now devoid eyes turned to Joan; wanting to test out the new powers bestowed upon him.

Joan's eyes narrowed, repositioning Sun Goddess behind her at the ready to attack Daven in case he choose to recklessly charge her. To say she was beyond lost would be an understatement, only knowing that the source of it all was the orb and the feeling coming from the once man had turned downright malefic in nature. "This really worth it, buddy? Whatever you've done to yourself... You've given up whatever piece of humanity because of power."

Daven's voice had changed, now laced with an unsettling mixture of menace and ecstasy. "Well worth it," he rasped, flexing his newly empowered arms, feeling the raw energy flow through him. "I had my doubts, but that red-cloaked bastard came through. Said something about it unleashing my full potential. And look at me now."

His eyes, now pools of darkness, stared directly at Joan. "Don't know why he's after that Roadie guy but he kept his promise so whatever, he can do what he wants" he shrugged as he was ready to fight once more and test out his new strength, unaware of the connection between Joan and Roadie.

"Eh? The fuck did you say?!" Joan shouted, her expression shifting into one of anger. The mere thought of her sibling being endanger trumped any notion of whatever was happening before her. As she walked towards Daven, she stomped on a nearby piece of stone, crushing it into rubble like it were nothing. "What the hell do you mean someone is going after Roadie?! For what reason?!"

Daven's dark eyes sparkled with twisted mirth. "Hmm?" His lips twisted into a smirk. "Oh, you're interested now? You'll have to make me tell you." He sneered, taking a stance as he taunted her by flexing his finger at her; daring her to attack. It was the first time that he saw Joan lose her cool and for some reason, it excited him to see her squirm.

The taunting nature of Daven's voice caused Joan to grind her teeth together, displaying her frustration. It was only through the rational part of her brain that prevented the musician from devolving into a wild beast and attack the transformed man. As a myriad of thoughts went through her mind, a single answer popped up in terms of what she should do. "Nah..."

The young girl thrust Sun Goddess into the air as the air started to swirl into the instrument. Within a matter of moments, the swirling vortex swiftly absorbed the ongoing tornado around them before Joan holstered the guitar onto her back. "That alone proves there are more important things than dealing with you." Recalling which direction Roadie had left earlier, she turned and walked away without saying anything else.

Just as Joan took her first steps away, she would feel a surge of ominous energy erupt behind her, drawing her attention back to Daven for a split second. He was already airborne, hovering above her, both hands clenched together in a gesture that left no room for misinterpretation.

"TRICERA HAMMER!" Daven's voice boomed, echoing in the air as dark energy swirled around his fists. The transformation had not just changed him physically; it had made him far more aggressive and fiercely possessive of this fight as if it were the only thing anchoring him to this world.

With a primal cry, Daven swung his clenched fists downward, aiming to pound Joan straight into the ground with a display of his newfound power.

Joan didn't flinch upon hearing the sudden shift in the air nor the loud cry of Daven's technique, refusing to turn around and acknowledge the rage driven creature. In her mind, there was nothing left up to discussion. There was some weirdo after her brother and while she trusted him with her life, the emotions she felt from that man was leave nothing up to argue.

For the musician who cared about her crew and family more than anything, it was the obvious choice.

Besides, there was someone who she had absolute confidence in to take care of Daven.

The force of the Daven's double fisted blow was monstrous, sending a shockwave that caved in the ground and generated smoke and debris everywhere, a testament to how much stronger he had become. As the smoke began to clear and Daven expected to see the squashed remains of Joan, his eyes would widen when he saw a familiar young man in between him and Joan blocking his strike with a pair of drumsticks raised above his head as Tony Gray, the drummer of the Sea Star Pirates and Joan's right hand man stared up at Daven with a smirk, albet a struggling one as Daven's power was clearly felt by the drummer.

"Hey, prick," Gray began, his tone brash and dripping with disdain. "You've gotta be one hell of a coward to attack someone with their back turned." He spat, the color of his drumsticks glowing a bright green color as the impact from Daven's attack had been absorbed and stored within Gray's newly acquired weapons.

"Solo Reflector!" he shouted, the power of his Devil Fruit activating as the force stored from Daven's attack was launched right back at him with double the intensity as the shockwave sent Daven flying backwards, crashing into a nearby building as Gray let out a deep breath, shaking his arms from the sting he felt from Daven's ridiculous strength that he absorbed.

"BOOM!" The building Daven had crashed into would soon erupt as the evil-looking pirate captain emerged from the rubble, his face full of rage and contempt as Gray snorted at the sight.

"Son of a bitch's as tough as he is ugly" He snorted, not even sparing a glance at Joan who was standing right behind him as he spoke to her, their backs touching.

"I heard the whole thing, Jo. You just can't shake off your stalkers huh? What would you do without me" Gray chuckled before his expression turned serious. "Make sure Roadie's safe" He said, knowing exactly what Joan's priority at the moment was. As both her best friend and right hand, Gray didn't need to be told what his job was or even ordered to fight on her behalf.

Anyone that stood in Joan's way from what she wanted to do would be taken care of by him; it was just that simple.

Joan nodded, eyes filled with determination. "Don't need to tell me twice. I'll catch up with ya once we've finished off these dirtbags." With her piece said, she took off in a display of speed and agility, rushing down the streets to find Roadie and the one who sought him. Never once did her eyes waver over to acknowledge Daven as he was left in the dust, not even being a footnote in her mind.

"GET BACK HERE!" Daven's roar slices through the chaos of the city as he hurtled after Joan, dashing from the top of the building he had crashed into as he attempted to pass over Gray from above and cut off Joan's escape.

However...

"You just don't learn, do you?" Gray chimmed in, his eyes gleaming with determination born out of loyalty towards both his crew and his captain. As the air vibrated with Daven's enraged shout, Gray's fingers danced with a musician's grace as he expertly twirled his drumsticks with his fingers, the glow around them now becoming a solid white color. Before Daven had passed over him, Gray slammed the tips of his drumsticks together, the distinct clapping sound resonating throughout the area as a translucent rectangle sprang forth from behind him, solidifying into a wide spread barrier.

Daven, blinded by his own rage and dark energy, couldn't stop himself in time as he crashed headfirst into the unseen wall. The impact sent tremors through the barrier as Daven fell to the ground, catching himselfas he shook his head and glared murderously at the young man before him.

"I'll kill you for that," he growled, his voice dripping with venom as he knew he had to dispose of this pest first before he could get his revenge on Joan.

"Sorry pal, but my captain ain't really a fan of the stalker types" Gray quipped, his tone casual, as if discussing the weather rather than a threat on his life. "And if you want her autograph, you're gonna have to get in line." He stated, spreading his legs apart as he was ready to throw down against Daven, who was radiating a type of energy that Gray had never seen before in his life.

Cage Match[]

"What the hell!" Avery shouted.

It was pitch black. He couldn't see a thing. It was the middle of the day and he had suddenly been plunged into darkness. He took a step forward and felt himself hit a wall. He knocked on it. A clang sounded from the contact. Solid metal. He sighed.

"At least it's not Seastone," he said. "Maybe I can actually break out of this."

He held up his arm, taking a few steps back and preparing to fire a cannonball at the wall. But before he could even shift his arm, he felt a strong blow to the side of his head. He flew through the air, slamming into the side of the structure. He dropped to his knees, but was more dazed than in pain.

"What the hell was that?" he said.

"Me!"

The voice was gruff. Sounded like it belonged to an older man, but in the sheer darkness of the box, Avery couldn't make out much more than that.

"Uh... You're gonna have to be more specific."

"It is I!" his voice seemed to bounce around the cube. It was hard for Avery to pinpoint the source. "The famed bounty hunter, Demetrius!"

"...Sorry," said Avery. "I've never heard of you before."

"What!?" the voice exclaimed. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah. You said your name's Demetrius?"

"Yes."

"I don't even know anyone by that name. Are you sure you're famous?"

"I've scoured the seas and caught pirates for over forty years!"

"Wow, then it's really surprising I haven't heard of you before."

Another strike, this time to Avery's stomach. He crumpled over, starting to cough, but still managed to steadily get back to his feet.

"You sure pack a mean punch, though," he said.

Demetrius picked up Avery by the top of the head, pulling him up to eye level. Although, in the darkness, Avery still couldn't make out his eyes.

"I hunted your predecessor for years, but his crew eluded me. Now is the time for me to redeem myself!"

Avery grabbed Demetrius by the head, bringing him forward for a strong head butt. The bounty hunter yelped, letting go off Avery as he fell to the ground. Demetrius staggered backwards, but Avery was already dizzy again, having trouble getting back to his feet.

"You've got one hard head," said Avery. "What's your secret?"

"I ate the Kani Kani no Mi, Model: Coconut Crab!" said Demetrius, "my defense and striking power are far superior to yours!"

"Yeah... we'll see about that."

Avery stepped quickly, eleven times in a moment, as he used his Blockade Runner technique. He went towards where he had last heard Demetrius, reaching out to grab him by the throat. But in the darkness all he grasped at was air. From his side he felt a powerful kick, sending him back into the ground, tumbling over himself.

"It's not just my physical talents that have been improved by my Devil Fruit, boy!" said Demetrius, "why would I choose a location for our battle that I can't see inside of? My sense of smell is even better than a bloodhound's!"

Avery groaned. "Are you that certain you're gonna win?" He kicked himself back up to his feet. He felt a little sore, but no long-lasting injuries yet. His hardy skin was doing a good job at protecting him at least. "You're just telling me how your powers work?"

"Just to let you know how hopeless your situation is!" said Demetrius. "I know all about you and your 'gifts'. I fought the previous user of your Devil Fruit. I know how it works and how to counter it. Not to mention, you're simply a poor facsimile of what Lucifer Hyperion was!"

"'A poor facsimile'?" Avery said with a chuckle, trying to mimic Demetrius' voice. "Then what does that make you?"

Demetrius shouted and charged again. A lot of what Demetrius had said had been true, or at least he believed it. Demetrius' striking power was greater. His defense was nothing to scoff at either. At least when it came to sheer physical force. Avery still had some other tricks up his sleeve that he was preparing to unleash. Demetrius' usage of Haki even seemed to be greater as well, at least from what Avery felt with the strength of his blows. That only made sense considering how long he had been on the seas. But that was why he had been saying and doing everything he had up until that point. He needed to rile up Demetrius enough that he could sense his movements.

Demetrius was bigger, stronger, more durable, had more experience, and superior Haki control, especially with his Devil Fruit power's abilities active. But he wasn't faster.

Avery got a ping from his Kenbunshoku Haki, right as Demetrius was about to make contact with another punch. He sidestepped the attack and grabbed Demetrius' arm. He hoisted himself up and used all of his weight to force the coconut crab human to the ground, a mighty slam resounding in the box from the force.

"You're pretty tough, I'll give you that," said Avery, "but everything has its breaking point!" Avery generally only used punches and kicks when he had to, or when he was otherwise holding back. In truth, after practicing with the Ramshackle Pirates, he was a grappler. And when he wasn't holding anything back, he could rip and tear through almost anything.

He began to pull on Demetrius' arm. The bounty hunter let out a loud shout as his arm began to bend in a way it wasn't supposed to. He reached over with his other arm to grab Avery's leg and remove him, but the pirate was on him like a vice. Avery muscles began to bulge, swelling in size as the power of his grip only increased. Cracks began to appear on Demetrius' shell, causing him to only howl louder in pain. Pulling him off wasn't going to do the trick. Demetrius mustered all the remaining strength he could in his arm, lifting it up off the ground with Avery still attached. The pirate was so focused on his own attack, he was unprepared for the bounty hunter's counter, slamming him into the ground. The strike stunned Avery, just long enough for him to properly use his other arm to pull him off and throw him into the other side of the cage.

"You're dead, boy!" Demetrius shouted. He got back to his feet, but had some trouble, unable to use his injured arm to do so. Not just had the exoskeleton been broken, but a few internal bones as well.

Avery got back to his feet as well, shaking his head a little bit to get rid of his disorientation. "Bring it on, old man."

The two charged at each other and clashed, again and again. More often than not, even with a damaged arm, Demetrius would overpower Avery. He'd send him flying back into the walls, pin him to the ground, or throw him around like a rag doll. But every so often, Avery would be the one to get the upper hand. He'd land a strong blow to Demetrius' face, pry Demetrius' crab claws off, or even send him into the walls of the cage. And the longer the fight went on for, the more frequently Avery seemed to gain the advantage.

Demetrius was started to get winded, but Avery seemed to only get more energized the more hits he took.

"What's the matter, old man?" he said, "your age finally starting to catch up with you?"

"Why you!" Demetrius moved with unparalleled speed, greater than what he had shown so far. Avery certainly wasn't prepared for it, a brief look of shock appearing before it was immediately replaced with a smile. Demetrius transformed his hand into a crab claw and grabbed Avery around the neck, slamming him into the ground as his vice-like grip continued in order to crush his throat.

"Still think I'm old!" Demetrius shouted, continuing the pressure.

Avery had his hands around the claw, attempting to remove it, almost futilely, but even so, he maintained his smile. "No..." he managed to grunt.

A look of confusion briefly took hold of Demetrius' face. Normally his grip was so strong people couldn't breathe if his claw was wrapped around their neck. That's when Demetrius realized just how hard Avery's neck was. He couldn't make it to the wind pipe. And by then, Avery had finally managed to get his finger between his neck and the claws, beginning to pry them off of him.

"Good thing..." he sputtered, but managed to still form sentences, "...I broke your arm earlier. Not sure if... I would've been able to do this... if you were crushing me with both hands."

In one, final pull he managed to free himself of Demetrius' grip, but still held on to Demetrius' claw. Jets, from the Sol Arche, appeared on Avery's back, pushing him forward and back onto his feet.

"Well, it's been fun, Demetrius," said Avery, "you certainly helped me out in realizing just how weak I am. I have some important areas to focus on, but I think that it's time for our battle to come to an end."

A new weapon form on Avery's shoulder. Demetrius couldn't see it, but he could smell it. It tried to pull away, but Avery's grip was too strong.

"Hopefully you'll survive this," said Avery, "I'd like for you to take out any of my competition in the future, cause you are strong..."

Now Demetrius could see a light growing from down a barrel. Demetrius really needed to escape now. He landed a kick to Avery's side, but he didn't budge.

"...but I think I'm tired of this cage. So let's get out of here."

The light in the barrel suddenly turned black, yet it still seemed to glow.

"Blacklight!"

The laser fired and struck Demetrius right in the chest. Avery let go of his claw just in time to allow Demetrius to fly back, the black laser's light filling the area and illuminated it ever so briefly. Just before Demetrius' shell hit the wall of the cage, shattering it to pieces as the bounty hunter flew into the distance.

Avery needed to shield his eyes for a second, so much light filling his eyes at once. He rubbed them, able to see again, but also now better hearing all of the carnage happening around him.

"Well, better help out the others," said Avery, but he soon fell onto his butt. Now that he had stopped moving, he realized just how tired he was. Demetrius had really done a number on him after all. "On second thought, let's wait a few minutes. I'm sure everyone else has got this."

Fast Enough For You[]

In the forest near Grand Festa's port, Joey and the other cloaked man moved through the serene area as the Tempest pirate dodged several slashes from the cloaked man's blade, each one slicing down countless trees in the process. Joey, pushed to his limits, used every ounce of agility he possessed to dodge and weave through the attacks, exploiting the forest terrain to his advantage that provided him with cover.

As another tree toppled from the sheer force of the cloaked man's sword swing, Joey finally found a moment to retreat as he ducked behind a larger tree nearby. His heart pounded against his chest, his breath came in ragged gasps, but he couldn't afford to let his guard down, not even for a second.

"It won't be funny if I get hit by even one of those" Joey joked with a nervous smile as he took a deep breath, holding out his arm as he began to focus. The air around his arm started to swirl, faster and faster, compressing into a high-pressure vortex due to the nature of his devil fruit.

In one swift move, Joey jumped out from his cover behind the large tree and let loose his Tempest Arrow, shooting his fist forward as the vortex shot forth like a spiraling cannonball, its force transforming the air itself into a weapon that was aimed straight at the cloaked figure.

"Not bad." As the wind bullet raced towards him, the cloaked figure swiftly swung his sword and cleaved through the attack, splitting it in half. As they struck the trees behind him, the woody plants were uprooted and sent onto the unforgiving soil below. "You've got good tactics and solid strength but..." Taking a step forward, the man focused his strength on the arch of his foot before kicking off, heading towards Joey the form of a black blur.

"...it's not enough!" In the midst of his rush, he attacked with blinding speed towards the blond-haired teen's torso, going for a cross slash meant to leave a deep mark across his body.

The cloaked man's speed was incredible as he zoomed forward and closed the distance between himself and Joey within seconds, showcasing a level of speed several steps higher than what Joey had originally assumed.

In the short time he had to react, Joey relied his instincts, his arms thrusting forward as he manipulated the wind around him, swirling it into a solid circular barrier in front of his body. The sword would met the wind with a resounding clash as sparks of energy crackled at the point of impact, shaking the forest around them.

The resulting shockwave was massive, the force propelling Joey backward with such force that he tore a path through the bushes grass below, his shoes carving a long gash into the earth. Skidding to a stop, Joey managed to stay on his feet and came out from the attack unharmed but still couldn't shake the unease he felt facing such a capable warrior.

He looked up, meeting the cloaked man's gaze with a nervous grin. "Well, aren't you full of surprises, old man?" Joey said with a hint of sarcasm. "I have to admit, that's some serious speed you've got. Who the hell are you?"

"Hmmm. It would be rude to keep attacking you without introducing myself. Very well." Grabbing the helm of his cloak, he pulled it off in one swift movement and tossed it into the air. No longer hidden beneath the dark mantle, Joey was greeted with the sight of an old-looking man with white hair and a well-trimmed beard. His attire was befitting of an experienced mercenary, having survived long within the field.

"Greetings, son of Gale D. Cain. I am Brown Moses, an assassin from the West Blue."

Joey's eyebrows twitched at the mention of his father's name, the link between the old assassin and his own father catching him off guard. He stared at Moses, searching for a hint of the past hidden within those aged yet sharp eyes.

"Brown Moses, huh?" Joey's voice carried a hint of respect mingled with a rising curiosity. "So, what's a famed assassin from the West Blue doing here? Got an old grudge against my old man? If so, then take it up with him! Look I'm always down for a rumble, but I'm not about to clean up his god damn mess!" Joey declared with an annoyed expression.

"Hm, I would but your father is quite good at covering his tracks." Moses said, sighing in annoyance. Despite his Underworld connections, the elderly man had been unsuccessful in his search for Joey's father, meaning wherever he was located must have been a backwater island. "However, you seem to misunderstand. I don't hold a grudge against your father. If anything, I'm grateful for what he did to me."

Joey's eyebrows raised at the man's words, his confusion clear as day. "Grateful?" he echoed, the word hanging in the air like an unsolved riddle.

"If you don't have beef with my old man, the why the hell are you attacking me?" He asked.

Moses shook his head at Joey's comment, waving his hand lackadaisically. "No, I don't have any beef with your father. Quite frankly, I'm in debt to him." As he stroked his chin, the assassin sighed wistfully while reminiscing on the past. Within his mind, images of the past resurfaced as the sound of gunshots and screams rang in his ears. "I used to lead a criminal syndicate, the Unseen Hand. Perhaps your father mentioned us in passing but we used our skill to line our pockets with riches beyond your wildest dreams with theft and murder of prestigious targets across the Grand Line."

As he spoke, a humming sound started to emit from his odachi while it started to rapidly vibrate. "Our biggest target was the Gran Tesoro, the largest entertainment city. It is recognized by the World Government as an independent nation and houses 20% of the world's circulated money. With that amount of money..." Moses tightly clenched his free hand into a fist, knuckles loudly cracking. "...we'd be set for generations!"

However, his expression shifted into one of concealed frustration. "However, that all went to shit when someone, god knows who, hired your father to take us. Like a machine, he dismantled us one by one until only I remained escaping with my life..." At that, a smile stretched across his face.

"...and I'm eternally thankful."

Joey's eyebrows arched as he listened, finding it odd that someone would express gratitude for such a downfall. "You're a strange one, old man. Your thankful my dad whooped your ass?" He repeated, his tone a mixture of amusement and bewilderment as he shook his head.

"Well, if getting beat is what makes you so happy, I'd be more than willing to help you out. Call it a family service." He smirked, dropping into a more combative stance, the air around him beginning to change as the nature of his devil fruit took root in the wind around him.

Moses shook his head at the suggestion, clearly having had this conversation before. "If it were that easy, he'd have answered my call. I've tried but he's never responded." His eyes immediately cut towards Joey, giving a knowing smile. "However, no father can resist the notion of their child in danger. He'd jump through hurdles to fight me in order to save you and that's what will happen."

Lowering his stance, the erratic vibration of the blade intensified as the humming noise turned into a high-pitched cry. "I'll defeat and capture you to lure out your father. Once I've beaten him, I'll know for certain that I am ready and rebuild my organization to steal the Gran Tesoro." The tone he had spoken in was matter-of-fact, as if it was simply going to happen like he said.

"Prepare yourself, child. Because I'm going to kick it up a notch." The built-up tension in his leg muscles acted as a booster while Moses leaned forward on the arch of his foot before taking off in the form of a white blur, moving with speed akin to that of Soru. "Hanauta Giri!"

Moses swiftly swung his blade in a wide arcing motion, aiming to bisect Joey. With the constant vibration of the sword, the weapon had gone from a standard weapon to a high-frequency blade, capable of slicing through materials it was normally incapable of.

Joey's instincts kicked in full throttle as he witnessed Moses' accelerated assault as everything seemed to slow down around him. His focus narrowed to what appeared to be a white blur moving towards him, taking the figure of the assassin as Joey had little time to react. With just a fraction of a second to spare, he launched himself backward, conjuring a swift gust of wind beneath his feet to enhance his leap as Moses' blade cut through the air of where he once was.

Joey soon landed a few feet away with a skid, the torn fabric of his shirt fluttering and a thin line of red blooming across his exposed lower abs. The realization of how close he had come to being literally sliced in half sent a jolt down his spine as nervous sweat fell from his face.

"Damn it," Joey muttered, his hand touching the shallow cut. It was a sobering moment for the young pirate captain of the assassin's lethality that reminded him of his old man. With a scowl, he glared at Moses. "You think you can use me as bait? Sorry, but that's not happening old man!"

Determined to keep Moses at bay, Joey concentrated, the wind swirling around both his arms with increasing intensity. "Gale Barrage!" he shouted, and with rapid, successive punches, he released a barrage of wind blasts towards Moses, each punch sending a powerful wave of pressurized wind through the air, aimed not just to harm but to overwhelm and force the assassin on the defensive.

Unfazed by the number and intensity of the tempestuous gusts of wind which closed in on him, Moses twirled his sword in a glorious flourish while holding the weapon with both hands. With each projectile that entered his range, the assassin slashed and cut through them without batting an eye as they wildly struck at the area behind him.

"Is that all you have?" Moses raised an eyebrow, slicing through another wind blast with ease. "I figured he'd have trained you better. Let me show you real strength."

Raising the odachi above his head, Moses tightened his grasp on the sword as his muscles expanded and contracted wildly before bringing it down with everything he had. The end result was a gigantic blade of what appeared to be light green energy splitting the earth and headed towards Joey. Unbeknownst to the young man, the projectile wasn't simply a large mass of razor wind but multiple arcs of sharpened air, moving as one unit due to the constant vibrating of the elderly man's weapon.

Joey's eyes twitched at the insult made by Moses towards not being up to par for being Cain's son and while the young Tempest pirate wasn't one to care about his father's reputation, those words by him did irk him for whatever reason.

Refusing to be outdone, Joey extended his index finger, mimicking the shape of a gun as he focused the wind around his fingertip, compressing it to a single, devastating point. "Tempest Shot!"

He didn't have the time to match the size of Moses' titanic attack, but Joey was banking on precision and raw power to carry the day. With a flick of his finger after carefully aiming his attack, the compressed air bullet shot forward towards Moses' approaching huge slicing wind blade, its target the center of the massive pressure of air.

The clash was incredible as Joey's Tempest Shot drilled into the heart of Moses' attack, burrowing through with relentless force. For a moment, it seemed as if it would be swallowed up by the larger technique, but then, with a resounding burst as Joey narrowed his eyes, it broke through the center, causing the attack to soon explode from having its center penetrated.

The aftermath of Moses' shattered attack however was a storm of razor-sharp air slashes that spread out in all directions as Joey raised his arms to guard, but even then, the slashes cut through his clothes, leaving thin, red lines across his skin as he was now covered in stains of blood.

Breathing heavily with his clothes tattered, Joey looked at his father's old enemy with a defiant glare and cocky smile. "Is that all you've got?" he taunted, enduring through the pain as he had survived the attack through his new method that left him certainly injured, but far from out of this fight.

Moses smirked at the confidence and ingenuity Joey had displayed, knowing that it could the result of someone who had been explicitly trained and survived the hardships of the Grand Line. For a brief moment, a visage of the man who took everything away from him appeared as a visage over Joey, giving the exact same expression. The mere sight of it caused his blood to pump. "Merely a preview for what's to come." He responded, crouching low to the ground.

In a burst of speed, the old assassin leapt into the air and bounced around from tree to tree, looking like a white flash. With his constant, speedy movement, it was difficult to keep track of him and that's exactly what the old man intended on doing. Landing upon a nearby tree, he smirked before leaping once more, the force of his takeoff rattling the woody plant as it carried him directly above Joey. "Hanauta Hashi!"

Placing his feet on the guard of his odachi, Moses directed the blade downward before swiftly descending with the crushing weight of gravity and his own body, ready to impale the blond-haired teen from above. The distinct humming of the blade resonating with the air, acting as a bell to call his death.

Joey watched frantically as Moses darted around with such agility, the man's movements as swift and unpredictable as the wind itself. "What are you, a damn monkey!?" he shouted, his voice tinged with both anger and a touch of grudging admiration for the old assassin's skill.

As Moses launched himself directly overhead, Joey knew he had mere moments to act. His mind raced, filtering through the countless techniques he had honed over the years. Then it clicked— he had only been using a fraction of the powers bestowed upon him by the Swirl Swirl Fruit and was trying too hard to maintain the nature of his epithet; Yellow Tempest.

It was time to branch out.

"Swirl Swirl..." Joey muttered under his breath, his eyes following Moses' trajectory. As the assassin descended with his blade aimed for a killing blow, Joey's hands moved in a swift, circular motion before he slammed one of his hands on the floor. "...Rampart!"

Just as Moses was about to strike, the ground around Joey twisted, the very earth swirling up to form a spiral rampart composed entirely of dirt and earth, molded together and compressed by the nature of his devil fruit. The assassin's blade met the whirling earth instead of flesh, the force of the impact sending tremors through the ground and throwing Moses' aim off.

"Now, Tempest Impact!" Joey shouted as he transition into his next attack fluidly and without missing a beat as he had already swirled wind pressure around his leg and cocked it back before he swung it full force at the spiral rampart shielding him, the impact resonating with the compressed structure as stretched and launched forth a spiral earth drill straight at the airborne Moses with blinding speed, intending on bulldozing straight into the man.

"You-?!" Eyes widened, Moses could do nothing but watch as his sword's course was altered and meet with a rising earthen drill. The initial impact was enough to shock him to his core, unintentionally lessening the movement and frequency that his blade moved at. As a result, instead of his blade cutting through the conjured earthwork, he was briefly locked within a stalemate of steel and dirt. With his lack of cutting power, it was now impossible to pierce through, especially given his position.

However, that thought was swiftly dismissed as the spiraling earth drill suddenly exploded forth with excessive force and outlandish speed. Incapable of doing nothing but brace for impact, Moses watched as his prized odachi snapped like a twig underneath the overwhelming pressure of the attack, scattering pieces of metal across the field while the earth construct slammed directly into his body, sending him flying into the sky.

"GRRRRAAAAAHHHH!" Moses fell from above and onto the unforgiving ground aways from Joey. Letting out a haggard cough, he stared at Joey with an impressed stare. "N-Not bad... Turning my attack against me as well as getting rid of my weapon. Seems like you've adapted quite well."

Joey stood tall with a grin, his chest heaving a bit from the exertion but his eyes gleamed with the excitement and thrill of battle. "Yeah, my old man always said, 'Adapt or die, kid.' Guess I actually learned something from that drunk." He chuckled. He then looked over at the fallen Moses, the older man's sword lying in fragments, no longer a threat.

"So, what's your plan now, old man? You gonna throw rocks at me?"

Moses let out a unsettling bark of laughter while pushing himself onto his feet, regaining his sense of balance. As he stood tall, the old man slowly took off his trench coat. "Of course not, my dear boy. If it were that simple to put me down, I'd have never thought to go after your father. This is only the beginning..." He declared softly before tossing the piece of clothing away into the forest.

With a arcing swipe of his dominant hand, the limb underwent a radical metamorphosis as the loud cracking of bones could be heard through out the area. As light green furーfeathersーgrew across the arm, it was evident what was happening. The cornerstone of the second most common Devil Fruit. To harness the power of the animal kingdom, that was the specialty of...

"...a Zoan-type Devil Fruit." Moses flapped this avian-like arm as the feathers softly fluttered within the wind. A soft green with splashes of black across the tips, it was clear the creature he had transformed into wasn't a predator. However, that didn't lessen the danger factor. "During my time as an assassin in the West Blue, I happened to find one on a job... The benefits of whatever power it had outweighed any negatives and I was more than right. Would you like to guess what creature gained the abilities of?"

Joey smirked, struggling to keep his facade as nonchalant as possible. "I wouldn't know where to start. Maybe an animal that loves to hear itself talk?" He joked but internally, his mind was racing. Moses was already a pain in the ass to deal with and now he supposedly was going to have to deal with an even stronger version of him as Zoan users were famously known for their physical capabilities. A sinking feeling settled in his stomach; he had to tread very carefully now as he kept his eyes on Moses' figure while keeping his legs spread apart to move at a moment's notice.

Despite Joey's joking nature, Moses simply smiled as he could see the micro-expressions which flashed across the teen's face. To not let your enemy see your fear was a well-known tactic, preventing them feeling confident in a battle of equals. However, in this case, Moses knew that with his Devil Fruit, there was no chance he could possibly lose.

"Unfortunately, that's not the case. It is related to an animal that loves to hear a certain noise however." As he said this, Moses' other arm transformed as well, causing him to sport two avian-like arms akin to that of a mythical harpy. "My Devil Fruit is the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Hummingbird. With this..." Moses started to rapidly flapped his wings as the sound of a high-pitched cricket echoed and strong gale swept across the forest. With wing fluttering eighty times per second, they appeared as nothing more than green smears.

"...I, "Install" Moses, was the fastest assassin in the Blue Sea." With his bold declaration, he took off. Unlike before, there wasn't a blur to signify his movement. There was only the disappearance and reappearance of Moses as he stood before Joey, his wing-arm cleaving through the air like a buzzsaw as it briefly flashed black while headed towards Joey.

Joey's eyes widened as the rapid disappearance and reappearance of Moses was almost too quick to register, a testament to the raw speed bestowed by his Zoan-type Devil Fruit as Moses' hummingbird-arm sliced through the air like a blade, aiming directly for Joey's head. With a fraction of a second to spare, Joey barely managed to dodge the strike, but not before feeling the sting of a cut across his cheek, a trickle of blood following in its wake.

His heart pounded in his chest as he barely dodged the lethal blow, realizing that Moses was done playing around. Immediately, Joey planted his feet firmly on the ground and channeled his own power, wind pressure swirling around his arm and condensing into a miniature vortex of air pressure. His eyes met Moses' for a split-second, and in that moment, he struck.

"Tempest Fist!" Joey roared, thrusting his fist forward, the swirling air pressure boosting the momentum of his punch as he aimed directly at Moses' face. Joey knew that trying to create some distance between them would only work to the hunter's advantage, so he needed to keep close and press the attack to not give him the opportunity to use that terrifying speed.

Moses didn't bat an eye at the sight of Joey's attack closing in, simply staring at the young man with an unmoving expression. From the close proximity of the technique, the name bestowed upon it wasn't a mere boast. To use the natural might of a tempest to enhance the strength of his blow to newfound heights was quite devastating. If it had been earlier, he would have done anything to avoid being struck by such a move, especially in close range.

However, with a single shift, that had all changed.

With a speedy yet gentle movement, he brought up his other wing-arm within the trajectory of Joey's Tempest Fist as the limb was covered in a familiar black hue moments before impact. A stormy gust of wind encompassed the area where Moses stood at, with blades of wind cutting up the earth and nearby trees. As the whirlwind died out, the smoke caused by it also drifted away to reveal Moses, still standing with Joey's fist resting against his wing.

"Fifty..." was the number Moses spoke, staring directly into Joey's eyes. "That's how many times your techniques spins per a second. The wings of a hummingbird flaps eighty times per a second." With a forceful shove, he pushed Joey away before lashing out with a series of flying air blades towards the young man.

Joey flew through the forest at an alarming speed as he struggled to raise his his head, eyes widening as he caught the multiple air blades Moses had sent after him. Reacting on pure instinct, Joey channeled the power of his devil fruit and wrapped both of his palms with swirling air pressure, bringing them together before he thrust them sideways, generating enough force to alter his trajectory mid-flight to narrowly evade the slicing gusts that zoomed through the forest, cutting down dozens of trees in the process.

Landing in a crouch, Joey skid across the ground until he eventually stopped, growling a bit as frustration appeared on his face. His clothes were both ripped and shredded as blood dripped onto the forest grounds from the cuts all over his body, a reminder of how intense of a battle the young captain had fought so far.

"...Can I beat this guy?" Joey asked himself, a rare thing for the usually confident pirate captain who had never questioned his abilities so far during his journey. He didn't want to admit it but Moses had been accurate in his assumption about how many times Joey could swirl something per second; fifty was the upper limit he had found out after countless testing. Anything more than that was beyond his power to control without losing focus and risking damage to himself from the ultra fast rotation. Rotation was the core of his power, each spin amplifying his strength, but to push beyond that was uncharted territory, a territory he might have no choice but to tap into if he was going to defeat this man.

As he steadied his breathing, Joey looked at his trembling hands. He felt the power coursing through him, but doubt gnawed at his resolve. There was a barrier there, one that was keeping him from tapping into his full potential.

"You're fast, old man," Joey called out, his voice a mix of respect and challenge. "Faster than anyone I've ever met before, even my old man. But there's something he told me awhile ago that's always been stuck in my head but I never paid much attention too. And that would be 'if ya can't outspeed your enemy, then out-think em. Use that clever brain of yours to make up the difference in what you don't have" Joey quoted, chuckling as he stared into the sky, the face of his father appearing the clouds with that annoying but nostalgic grin of his.

"..Alright, pops." Joey acknowledged, mustering his willpower as he stared straight at Moses from across the forest. He thought of the times he'd pushed through exhaustion during training, of the moments when he'd surpassed his own expectations because he refused to accept 'impossible.' Now, faced with a real threat, a life-and-death struggle, he knew it was time to transcend his limits once more.

"Fifty spins might be my limit, but what if it's fifty times over dozens of times?" Joey worded ominously as he concentrated, drawing in a deep breath as if to draw in the very wind around him. The forest around him reacted, leaves and debris kicked up by the sheer force of his willpower as he struggled to swirl more than two things at once as veins appeared on his forehead from the stress. It wasn't just his arms, he began swirling things around his legs, his torso, his waist, and even his neck as wind began to build all around Joey as the forest around the two of them became the center of what could only be described as a human beginning to wear tornado-like clothing.

Moses barely reacted in time, using his wings to protect himself from the tempestuous winds that drove throughout the forest. The sheer power behind the gale force was enough to send him skidding back, almost as if he were experiencing a raging storm up close and personal. It both excited and infuriated the old man, wondering why he elected to keep this trump card hidden for so long.

Ignorant to the hypocrisy in his thoughts, he slowly removed his wings to see the result of Joey's actions and stared with widened eyes. Gone was the spawn of his self-proclaimed enemy, Moses was now face to face with the embodiment of the storm before him.

A living calamity.

"Just..." As an unsettling feeling clenched his heart, Moses glared. "..what exactly is this?"

Joey's form was barely recognizable within the whirlwind of chaos he had summoned. His figure blurred, contorted by the twisting air, as he forced every fiber of his being into keeping up the transformation that was unimaginably taxing on both his physical body and mind.

"Since I couldn't spin faster..." Joey began, the howling winds boosting the volume of his voice. "...I'll just spin everything around me!" Joey declared through gritted teeth, the wind howling around him like a chorus of wild spirits. "I'll become the storm itself!"

Without any warning, Joey made his move as he thrusted both arms behind him, releasing forth a gigantic malestorm of wind behind him as he was propelled forward like a cannonball by the explosive force of the gale. The very ground beneath him cracked and split from the sheer force of his launch as he closed the distance between himself and Moses in a blink.

"Tempest Driver!" Joey shouted, seeing nothing but blurred lines all around him as he thrust his leg out, relying on pure instinct to find and cave Moses' chest in with the swirling tornado's that wrapped themselves around his leg like a snake, amplifying the destructive power of his kick several times over.

Behemoth[]

There weren't many things in Paradise more terrifying than Saul barreling towards you. His Fish-Man Lineage Factor implemented into him made him a fantastic swimmer, but it was the combination of other factors that made him able to barrel through the ocean so fast. He could see the Sol Arche, still under attack, but that wasn't his target. His target was the swordsman keeping it pinned down. After breaching from the surface of the water, he flew towards the enemy ship. Locking in on the source of the attack, energy gathered in his arm as the bone protrusions began to glow. And he threw a condensed burst of energy at the target which would explode in a burst of electricity as soon as it hit something solid.

Unfortunately, for Saul, his attack was intercepted by a large shard of granite as they collided in an explosive display, raining down shards of earth and crystal upon the ocean. Immediately, a barrage of granite shards spewed out of the darkened smog as they sought to pierce through Saul and send him into a murky grave below.

Saul shielded himself with his arms. His skin was stone-like by itself, so the shards had difficulty piercing through his skin. Even so, the sheer kinetic force caused plenty of pain, causing him to howl as he was sent back into the waters below. A pierce of shrapnel had managed to get through his guard and stab him in the stomach, causing only louder shouts. As soon as he regained his bearings, he pulled the granite shard out of his side. The wound was shallow, given his strong skin and bones, but the one thing Kazuko had neglected to give him was an appropriate healing factor. Otherwise his constant pain may have been more dulled. He swam to the surface, looking for the source of who had just attacked him, and glaring as he saw the source of his ire. The granite giant, Goran, had returned. Saul snarled at the Giant, his problems only compiling.

While Saul laid within the seas below, a shadow was cast upon the waters above the experiment. To those on the ships above, it looked as though a solar eclipse was occurring. However, within a matter of seconds, the shadow grew in size, revealing it was a gigantic granite pillar as Goran was atop of the structure, shoving it down with a gleeful smile. "YOU WILL DIE...FOR MY EYE!"

With a final shove, he threw the column with his monstrous strength, piercing through the ocean as crushing waves of water splashed across the area, nearly toppling over his own ships.

Saul let out a primal roar as he threw his fist forward. His arm was vibrating so intensely that the ocean around him began to vibrate with him. And along with this, the musculature of his arm and the bone protrusions on his body began to extend. A technique he had learned before his transformation into a monster. And one he had perfected afterwards. "Shogekiha Ryoho!" He punched the granite pillar, his bone spike on his fist sinking into it. This only helped him send the intense vibrations into the pillar, vibrating it so intensely that it had no option but to crumble. And Saul wouldn't stop after that.

He left out of the water, maintaining himself in the air as he hopped off it like it was solid, the many vibrations he was generating with his feet creating footholds for himself. He moved at a breakneck speed, faster than most people could even process, until he was at eye level with Goran. And as he moved, he charged up another attack. This time on his face. This one was a product purely of Kazuko's experiments, one that utilized the Gerongian Lineage Factor within him. But what he was about to shoot wasn't so much a burst of heat, as much as it was a thermal laser. He didn't have access to Haki, at least not on a level like Avery that would allow him to properly harm a Logia. Instead, he planned on using a different method to harm his enemy: changing the state of his element. He wanted to melt Goran's granite flesh. And he was aiming right towards his good eye.

"Netchu Megane!" The laser fired off, glowing bright red, a hissing coming from it as the moisture in the air, and any water still left on Saul's person evaporated after getting within the path of this attack. Goran decided to target him for the damage he did to his eye. Saul would make him regret it. And he was curious if the granite Giant could continue to fight after he was completely blinded.

With the giant beam of pure heat melting through the granite pillar, Goran barely avoided his other eye being taken out as he swiveled his head out of the way, feeling the intenseness of the attack while it struck at the side of his head. The giant was beyond angered at the actions of his foe, attempting to completely blind him in such a gruesome manner. "YOU DARE?! YOU FUCKING DARE!"

In the midst of his fall, the granite golem lashed out as another pillar expelled out of his arms, nearly double in size when compared to the one he had made earlier. With its significant density, it stood a better chance against Saul's future heat-based attacks and also could act as a foothold for the giant to battle upon. However, in the moment, its purpose was like the one which came before: crush Saul beneath its weight.

The Giant was a bit more nimble than he appeared. Even so, this for wasn't new to him. His attacks weren't anything special in comparison to their first battle. He may not have had the Haki to lay out Goran as easily as Avery might have, but he was still confident in his ability to win. This pillar of granite wasn't any different than the first one, just larger and more durable. So Saul was ready for it this time.

He jumped off the air with the shockwaves generated by his feet, the speed at which he moved briefly enhanced by explosions he used to propel himself forward. The bone protrusions coming from himself skidded against the granite pillar, sparks flying into the air as it did so and the pillar sank into the water below. Saul lost some of his speed from the contact, but did not cease his assault, waves flying into the air from the immense force that Goran's pillar possessed. The Giant seemed to be playing a game of keep away now. So the way Saul planned to win was to close the distance.

He rocketed himself towards Goran's chest, electricity and heat emanating from his body, headed towards him like a cannonball. He even tucked in his arms and legs to make the strike more powerful. His skin was more like stone in the first place. He was going to knock that Giant out of the ship and into the water below.

With his attack having missed, the granite pillar plunged into the ocean, remaining as the structure as a platform for the titan to stand upon and continue engaging against Saul upon landing. With his lone eye darting about in search of his target, it didn't take long for him to notice the sparks of electricity and wisps of fire which were coming off from the ball headed straight for him. It was only due to his innate fighting skills and expectations of a follow-up attack which prevented Goran from being knocked off kilter and into the ocean below.

Instead, the giant moved his left hand in front of his chest and caught Saul's cannonball tackle head-on. With the tremendous force coupled with the destructive combination of elements, it was enough to cause him to nearly cry out in pain as the palm of his hand started to melt from the sheer heat. "YOU PIECE OF SHIT! STOP TRYING TO MELT ME!" With a grace of a enraged monkey, Goran chucked Saul down onto the earthy surface below with the herculean strength expected of a giant.

The granite platform cracked underneath the force of Goran's throw. Had Saul's own constitution been weaker, it would have been a smear on the ground. He rose from the relatively small hole that the Giant had made, shaking his head as he shook away the delirium. A few cracks had even appeared in his body, itself, as well as a few of his bone spikes having cracked or broken off. He was certainly feeling pain from the attack, but that was nothing new relative to his current situation. Saul looked up at Goran. This was the true strength of a Giant, a real Giant, not the deluded power that he had. And his Logia fruit abilities weren't making it any easier.

"Sur..." Saul had trouble choking the words out, as he usually did. "Surrender..." He nodded his head in mild satisfaction of him managing to speak, without truly being prompted for once.

"Surender...?! Staring down upon his gnat of an opponent, Goran's expression twisted in indignation at the sheer audacity of Saul's demand. In the mind of Goran, it was beyond insulting to even think of listening to the demands of some freakish nobody who came from the boonies of Paradise. If anything, the experiment should be begging at this feet for the right to live! It was the law of the world after all!

The strong ruled and conquered while the weak groveled and served.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! ME, A PROUD WARRIOR OF ELBAF, WHO ESCAPED FROM NASTROND SURRENDING TO THE LIKES OF YOU?!" As the giant loudly declared his thoughts on the matter, he was unaware of the large purple bird that was soaring overhead. Loudly stomping his foot in rage, the platform trembled from the incredible force. "Without your captain here, you aren't hot shit... You are nothing!"

With murderous intent, Goran lifted his arm into the air as his granite arm transformed into a large mallet before immediately bringing it down. Like a hammer coming down upon a nail, the herculean strength and gravity synchronized for a devastating blow upon Saul, one which should surely crush the experiment, if not severely injure him.

"Hono Ikazuchi!" However, in the midst of the giant's attack, a flame-like blast of purple electricity surged through the sky from out of nowhere and struck the giant directly in his blinded eye. With a roar of pain, Goran raised a hand to grasp the injury while falling to his knees and loudly cursing. Meanwhile, the sound of flapping wings came from behind Saul as a familiar pretentious voice accompanied.

"Worry not, my goliath comrade! I, the Great Bane Lucian, have arrived to aid you in this battle!" Lucian declared, standing atop of Gumyocho as the sunlight struck at him from behind to create the image of a brave warrior arriving to save the day. Unfortunately for him, that image was swiftly ruined by Nagasaki kicking him off of the purple-feathered bird and onto the granite floor, landing face first.

"Stop being boastful, you fool." Nagasaki scolded, gracefully landing on the surface next to Saul. With her eyes never leaving Goran, she continued. "We saw the commotion from afar and thought it was prudent to help you. If this beast of a giant were to get to the main land, things would be a lot worse."

Saul would have raised an eyebrow if the act by itself wouldn't have been painful. He did a sort of mental questioning of what was going on before he looked around at the new pirates that had come to aid him. Just a moment ago he had been bracing himself for a heavy strike from the Giant, but these new arrivals had stopped it from even happening. They were clearly with the Sea-Star Pirates, but he wasn't very familiar with them. Especially not the older woman. She didn't feature in any of their music videos or albums. And she definitely hadn't been on Robben Island during the incident. Regardless, they wouldn't have attacked the Giant unless they were on his side. So he took some comfort in that.

"Hell... o..." Saul managed to choke out. He pointed over at Goran, still writhing in pain from the attack. "Into... water..." said Saul. "Devil Fruit..." He was big and strong, but even Giant Devil Fruit users would become immobilized when they were knocked into water.

"I see..." Nagasaki muttered, understanding what Saul was trying to say. Without wasting another second, an creamy white orb of energy appeared within her hand as it leapt out of her palm, landing beside Saul and taking on the visage of a beautiful woman dressed within a feathered mantle. "Hagoromo-san, if you could please heal our ally here."

"Of course, Nagasaki-sama. Ten'yu!" With a serene smile, Hagoromo rested her hand on Saul's shoulder as several feathers fluttered across the experiment. Immediately, they flashed golden as a radiant aura bathed him, slowly started to heal his wound while sapping away at his stamina.

"As I'm sure you've noticed, the cost of healing you leaves you feeling somewhat drained. An unfortunate drawback but still quite useful." The purple-haired samurai explained while electricity crackled from her sword. "Lucian, it's time to stop laying about and think of a strategy unless this brute is too much for you to hand-?!"

Her scathing statement was cutoff by Lucian leaping onto his feet, glaring at her with a menacing stare. "Don't even finish that thought... For I have already thought of a plan to secure of victory with the aid of a comrade here. Assuming he's up and ready."

Saul felt some of his stamina leave him, but the cracks in his skin and the broken bone protrusions quickly healed themselves. Had he still be on Robben Island, this action may have left him unable to continue, but the Everything Pirates had been doing everything in their power to make him comfortable and improve his stamina. He couldn't spend a majority of his time in a regeneration tank any more. Staying ready in case Goran struck, Saul turned to Lucian. "...Plan?" he managed to say.

"Indeed!" Much to Nagasaki's dismay, Lucian leapt onto his feet and proudly pointing forward at the slowly arising granite golem, the sunlight dramatically casting a shadow upon him. "For a simpleton, your idea is quite good but it lacks depth! There is nothing that would stop him from using his Devil Fruit from pushing him out of the watery grasp of the ocean!"

The tactician grinned while his eyes bounced around analyzing every piece of information in front of him, feeling his brain expand with the ideas which started to flow. "We'll need to cripple him in a way that'll prevent him from using his Devil Fruit! With that in mind, we can surely win!"

"You think you can win against me..." As Goran rose onto his feet, the granite platform trembled with the movement of his body, resonating with the anger he exuded. With an eye filled with hatred, the giant golem stood tall before slamming his hands onto the platform, sending forth a powerful gust of wind onto the trio. "YOU'LL DIE TRYING IF YOU THINK YOU CAN DEFEAT ME!"

"Not think." Lucian confidently said, exuding confidence unlike before. "I know."

Saul snarled at the Giant, but he didn't rush in. Going head on against Goran hadn't proven to be successful so far, so he wanted to hear what Lucian's plan was. Saul wasn't much for planning, that's why his job was just as a bodyguard. However, he did wonder what kind of plan Lucian could have thought of already, after just starting the fight. "...but it lacks depth", Lucian had said about his idea. "That's what the water is for," thought Saul. He would've vocalized it, but that was too many syllables for him to say without hurting himself too bad. However, he stayed ready. The bone protrusions on his body began to glow red and blue as he charged up energy inside of them.

Nagasaki stood unflinching while her sword continued to crackle with violet electricity. As her hair blew in the fierce wind, the purple-haired woman adjusted her stance as she prepared herself for combat once more. "As per usual, your arrogance knows no bounds. However, considering the situation, I'll put my trust in you."

"A FOOLISH MISTAKE!" Goran raised his hand on high and brought it, blotting out the sun above. With a loud roar, his arm was coated within an extra layer of granite, forming a spiked gauntlet before he brought it down onto the trio, intent on smushing them into paste like before.

However, despite being in the face of danger, Lucian simply smirked. "A wise choice. Now, take his arms out first!"

Saul decided he'd work on the striking arm. Like a bolt of lightning, he zoomed forward as he discharged some of the energy he had been collecting in his body. He soared over Goran's arm as he aimed to slam right into the giant's shoulders. He had tunnel vision, only focusing on the speed of his movements and the target he had set for himself. He trusted that his new allies would be able to cover him. Lucien had told them to take out the arms first, which Saul completely intended to do, but that made him think that Lucien and Nagasaki would at least be able to take on the other arm.

As soon as Saul would make contact with Goran's shoulder, he'd discharge the remaining energy he had stored up. Electricity and pure heat in a powerful explosion, with Saul at the epicenter. The goal to blow off Goran's arm completely, but if he could just cause enough damage to make the arm unusable, at least for a while, then he imagined that would be satisfactory. He'd imbed himself into Goran's rocky flesh like a tick and continue to charge up and release his thermal energy, should everything go according to plan, stopping him from properly recovering with his Logia abilities. However, he wasn't certain how long he could hold back the strength of a Giant.

At the same time, Nagasaki moved at the same time as Saul did with the same idea ran through her head: take care of the striking hand. However, unlike the hulking experiment, the purple-haired woman decided to go for a more direct approach, leaping onto the arm of the rocky giant. In the blink of an eye, she zoomed up the limb, wisps of electricity trailing behind her until arriving at the upper arm where she jumped into the air with her blade held high.

"Saku Ikazuchi!" With the loud cry of thunder accompanying her, she swung her down with electrifying speed and strength as an oversized crescent-shaped blade of pure lightning surged through the air. Unbeknownst to those around her, Nagasaki had projected her Busoshoku Haki as well, bestowing the technique with the additive of being able to bypass the Logia intangibility of her enemy as well as enhancing the attack's slicing power.

Unaware of this, Goran simply continued forth with his gauntlet-covered arm in order to crush the smug-looking Lucian. Believing his elemental body would protect him from any lasting damage, he was utterly shocked at the intense sensation of indescribable pain which overtook his entire brain and the sight of his hand being separated from his wrist.

With the revelation of not only being injured in the same manner as he had been nearly two days ago but crippled as well, the giant was too preoccupied to stop Saul as a newfound surge of pain coursed through his skin and nerves, his elemental invulnerability bypassed through the devastating explosion of heat and electricity. However, that served as an unintentional jumpstart as rage consumed him and with a hate-filled roar, swiftly used his granite body to form several pillars which jutted out and raced towards the trio of enemies before him.

Saul actually did recognize that power, the one that Avery had been cultivating since he met his master. The sheer damage that Nagasaki had done to Goran with a single strike was quite impressive. He felt as though he had underestimated his new allies. Perhaps the other one was as formidable. But as Goran shouted out and his pillars began to erupt from the ground, Saul thought now wouldn't be the best time to tempt fate.

Saul had imbedded himself into the Giant's shoulder, or at least attempted to do so, but the sudden jutting of spires made it unwise to stay put. He jumped back, and he would have started falling, had it not been for a sudden transformation taking place. Goran would have gotten a glimpse of it in their previous battle, but wouldn't have had a chance to fight Saul for long while using it. His body became covered in a red exoskeleton and insectoid wings grew from his back. He began to fly, expending much less energy than his shockwave propulsion system required him to use before. He was going all out now.

He weaved in and out of the pillars as they erupted from the platform and Goran, himself, using the newfound speed of his enhanced form to stay just a moment ahead of the unpredictable Logia. But he wasn't headed towards Goran. He was flying towards Lucian, aiming to scoop up the smaller pirate in his arms and fly him out of immediate harms way. And as soon as he had accomplished this task, he would turn back towards Goran and fire another Netchu Megane at the Giant's good eye. While it would be more powerful than the first time he had used it, it was still merely a distraction. Something to give Nagasaki the time she needed to take out the other arm.

With his panic alleviated by Saul's swift action, Lucian's tactical mind worked into overdrive as he witnessed the beams of pure heat which were headed towards the giant's remaining eye. "An excellent choice, my well-mannered ally! Blinding him for even a moment is a great advantage for us to have!" As he spoke, the blond-haired man pulled out a handful of black-cards and threw them with impressive accuracy, watching as they weaved through the sky towards Goran's eye.

BOOM!

The nature of Lucian's oil cards amplified Saul's heat laser, causing an earth-shaking explosion which rattled Goran to his core as he shouted in shock and pain. Thankfully, he had managed to act within the nick of time and create an eyepatch-like shield around said area to prevent it from sustaining further injury. However, in his effort to protect himself, Goran had temporarily blinded himself and left himself vulnerable.

In the blink of an eye, Nagasaki sliced through a pillar of granite from above with her lightning-infused blade as she landing upon Goran's uninjured arm. Without missing a beat, she twirled her sword in hand before thrusting it downward, piercing into the giant warrior's rocky shoulder. "Tsuchi Ikazuchi!" The familiar cry of lightning echoed through the area as an intense amount of electricity traveled through Goran's arm. In addition to the shocking damage, the the muscles involuntary contracted and went stiff as a result, preventing them from used albeit temporarily.

"Go for the legs now!" Nagasaki shouted in a thunderous voice, continuously feeding electricity into said limb.

She didn't need to tell Saul twice. Placing Lucian back on the ground in a safe location, with Goran still distracted, he rocketed himself forward once again. He was swifter in his new form, stronger as well, and without using any more energy than he needed to in order to perform necessary actions. His movements alone seemed to charge up the energy he needed for his next attack. He tucked into himself like a ball, rolling through the air towards his target, electricity and pure thermal energy gathering around him, making him glow a blinding white.

"Momu Mari!"

His target was the knee. His curled up state would protect him from any immediate retaliation, whatever Goran could muster while stunned, both arms disabled, and blinded, while also allowing him to increase the force. The strike would dig into and scrape away the granite, all before unleashing another dangerous explosive of heat, intending to sever Goran's joint at the knee. Even if his other leg would still be functional in that moment, it'd be rather difficult for him to stay standing.

"YOU DAMN PESTS!" As his vision returned, the familiar anger came forth as well as Goran glared at the incoming meteoric attack. With his other arm unusable, he was forced to rely on the stump of an arm as the igneous rock spread across the limb and formed into a battering ram-like arm before swinging up in an attempt to overpower the experiment and send him flying. Unfortunately, despite his efforts, they proved to be ineffective as Saul tore through the compacted igneous rock until he arrived at the knee where a devastating explosion occurred, scattering pieces of debris across the platform.

With his balance disrupted, Goran found himself slowly toppling towards the ocean behind him. As panic gripped his heart, the giant searched for something to prevent himself from falling. In his current state, With how far out they were, Goran wouldn't be able to create another platform deep enough to save himself from being submerged in the ocean. For once, it seemed like there was little he could do to save himself.

"Wait... That orb!" Recalling the orb he had received earlier, Goran unearthed the sphere from within his mouth as it emitted a vile energy. While he didn't trust it nor the person who gave his captain said item, it was his only option. The desire to win overtook his sense of logic as he plunged into the sea, shattering it.

As the gigantic plume of water arose into the sky and rained down, Lucian looked on with a sigh of relief. "Seems like it all worked out in the end...." In that moment, he struck a flamboyant pose. "Thanks to my brilliant tactics!"

However, Nagasaki landed beside him and immediately smacked the young man on the back of the head, sending him toppling onto the floor once more. "You could have certainly helped more in terms of action."

Saul flew back down over by where Nagasaki and Lucian had convened, his wings folding back in, although he still remained in his battle form. There were many other pirates who needed a thrashing other than Goran. "...Thank... you..." he managed to croak out. "Couldn't have... done it... without... you..."

"Don't discount yourself." Nagasaki graciously replied, letting the wild surge of electricity fizzle out around her blade. "Without you holding off that beast, we wouldn't have been able to arrive."

"As much as it pains me to admit this, she's quite right." Picking himself off the ground, Lucian nodded in agreement. "You played your part well within this scheme and we couldn't done it without you!"

Saul nodded. He was still getting accustomed to receiving praise, but outside of his crew it practically unheard of. But he wasn't able to enjoy that feeling for long. The painful smile he wasn't able to hold back suddenly disappeared. He felt something. Courtesy of the various Lineage Factors that made up his new being, a few of them had some manner of extrasensory abilities. It was moving in the water, underneath their feet.

"Something... coming..." Saul choked out.

He felt big, massive, but it couldn't have been Goran. He was a Devil Fruit user, and everyone knew that Devil Fruit users sunk like bricks if they fell into the water.

Nagasaki frowned upon hearing those words, feeling something malefic underneath the ocean below where they had sent Goran into. Looking over in the direction, her stomach clenched as the water started darken into a purplish red, pulsing with vile energy which pierced through the surface as the granite platform started to convert into something else. It wasn't long before the surface began to shake akin to that of an earthquake.

"He's right." With a hiss of confirmation, the purple-haired woman gripped her sword tightly. "It feels unn-!"

Her statement was interrupted by the gigantic mass which arose out of the ocean, the deluge of horrid water that washed away to reveal the being hiding underneath. With a body made of stone and crystal, the only thing visible about them that was normal was the flame-like hair peaking through the crystalized mask adorned their face. With a claw-like appendage, the beast slammed their arm down and roared to the heavens before staring down at the trio with invigorated hatred. Somehow, with the height befitting of an ancient giant and visage of a demon, Goran stood before the group and roared.

"THAT WASN'T ENOUGH!"

Reeling his battering ram-like arm back, he pushed his whole weight into the attack and unleashed it with everything he had, unleashing a devastating shockwave in tandem with the attack. Splitting through the granite with ease, the strength was evidently far stronger than their earlier efforts.

Even in his enhanced form, Saul wasn't sure if he could withstand an attack like that, let alone his new allies. So he didn't even try. He scooped them both up in his arms, unfurled his wings and flew as fast as he could, like a comet through the sky, as the granite platform was destroyed beneath the force of Goran's strike. None of this made sense. He was a Devil Fruit user. Artificial or not, he should have been done as soon as he was submerged in the water. Yet he was able to pull himself out of the sea to continue his assault. And now he seemed more powerful than ever.

Saul turned to Lucian, who he had under his left arm, a pleading look in his eyes. "...Plan?"

"I HAVE NO IDEA!" Like the platform they once stood upon, Lucian's calm demeanor was shattered in a single devastating blow as his mind spiraled at the curveball thrown their way. Despite everything going exactly according to plan, Goran had a hidden ace which not only restored his limbs but allowed him to pull himself out of the ocean ー a feat which should have been impossible.

Nagasaki, without looking, reached over and smacked Lucian across the face with a resounding slap. "Stop panicking. We need to take care of him before he can causing more destruction."

"How do you propose we do that?!" Lucian barked, rubbing his stinging cheek.

"Calm..." said Saul, still fleeing from Goran's powerful strike. Not as an order, but trying to instill a sense of serenity into his ally, despite his monstrous appearance. "...Think..." Saul continued. "Must be... a way..." Saul wasn't one for complex strategies. He was just a hammer. But he knew Lucian was a smart man. He could think of a way out of this. He just needed to believe that he could. "You can... do it..."

"You are the one who often brags about their brilliant mind, no? This is a chance to prove yourself." With a stern look, Nagasaki sliced through an incoming crystal projectile, splitting it in two and splashing into the ocean below. "After all, you are the "Great Bane"."

"..." The words of his comrades silenced Lucian, his face scrunching into one of pure concentration. The desire to prove himself and overcome this obstacle caused his brain to pulse as a rushing river of thoughts flowed forth. With dark eyes around Goran's body, they finally landed upon the missing eye as an idea started to bloom in tandem with the grin which spread across his lips.

"Nagasaki... Can you summon forth that lightning samurai?"

Blinking at the sudden question, the woman nodded nonetheless.

"Good, you'll need to confront him directly in order to distract him." Lucian's smile widened. "From there, Saul and myself will take advantage of that in order to launch him through his eye and pierce through his brain. It's simple in nature but will require a lot of effort on all of our part. His body is no longer simply granite but looks to be split into different segments of stone and crystal. He'll have the elemental advantage over you, Nagasaki."

"Worry not. I have a solution for that."

Lucian nodded slowly, deciding to simply trust in her. "You are fine with the plan, my strong friend?"

Saul nodded, still moving with Lucian in order to prevent Goran from so easily striking them with his attacks. Nevertheless, he was ready to strike when Lucian gave the word. Despite Goran's power up, there was some small satisfaction in knowing that it was his captain's earlier actions that would give them the opportunity to take down this behemoth.

Court of the Crimson King[]

With each step she took, Joan left a trail of dust in her wake while zooming through the battle-torn city. As her eyes darted around and ears listened in search for Roadie, the musician lashed out at the nameless mooks who happened to stand within her path, bashing their heads with her guitar or unleashing an elemental-based attack upon them. Unfortunately, despite her best efforts, she still hadn't come across her brother yet and there was a part of her that was starting to get worried.

While she had absolute confidence within his abilities, the level of hatred which the red-hooded man displayed was unnatural for someone the musician had never met before, at least, according to her own memory.

"Damn it! Where the hell are ya, Roadie?!" Joan shouted in frustration, leaping into the air before landing on the face of a nearby pirate. Using them as a springboard, she launched herself further into the air, getting a better vantage point to continue her search. However, even with her newfound view, the musician was unable to see Roadie amongst the ongoing raid.

"Tsk! Come on, Roadie. Give me a sign or something!" A devastatingly loud explosion occurred within the streets below, drawing Joan's attention immediately. Instead of being greeted with the sight of her brother, she witnessed Sojiro, Olvia and Oscar surrounded by pirates, with cannons aimed directly towards them. With narrowed eyes, she jerked Sun Goddess, aiming the guitar downward.

"Not on my fucking watch! Powerwolf!" With a fitting electric riff, a bolt of azure lightning zapped through the sky as a thunderous boom accompanied. In the midst of its descent, the thunderbolt swiftly took on the shape of a savage wolf, letting out a howling cry before it slammed into the earth and shocked the invading pirates with insane voltage. As their smoking bodies crumpled to the ground, Joan landed on atop of a flagpole.

"Yo! Sorry for droppin' in but ya'll wouldn't happen to see Roadie?!" Joan shouted, briefly looking around once more.

Oscar, his face etched with concern and gratitude, smiled at Joan's arrival. "Thank you, Joan. Your timing couldn't have been better," he said, watching as Sojiro and Olivia quickly dispatched the new wave of pirates with impressive efficiency. Sojiro utilized his Fishman Karate to send a group of pirates flying through the air like ragdolls while Olivia's Devil Fruit abilities turned her into a whirling dervish of spikes and grace, her smile never wavering even as she was covered in the blood of her victims.

Towards her question regarding the status of her brother, Oscar frowned as he cupped his chin. "The last I saw of Roadie, he was headed further into the island," Oscar informed her. His tone carried a note of urgency, but he was clearly trying to maintain his composure in the face of chaos. "How are the others doing? Did you see any of them on your way here?" He asked as he had grown to become concerned about the pirates that were risking their lives to help protect them.

"I left Gray behind to deal with that weirdo. The bastard pulled out some weird ass transformation like something out of a video game but I know Gray can handle his dumbass." Joan confidently summarized, rubbing her nose. "As for the other two, can't say much about eyepatch but I saw a bunch of flying slash attacks and tornados coming from the forest. If I was a better gal, I'd assume that's where Joey and that geezer are at. Meanwhile..."

With a single finger, Joan pointed out towards the sea where a gigantic titan of a golem stood, letting out a loud bellow while explosions detonated all over their body. "...it seems like a group of people are taking care of that big fucker."

"Another problem, indeed" Oscar muttered as he observed the chaos unfolding on the horizon with a mixture of concern and belief. The sight of the titanic golem wreaking havoc was daunting, but his faith in the abilities of the pirates and his own people remained unshaken. He then turned his attention back to Joan, noting the worry etched on her face. "Go find your brother, Joan. We'll handle things here. I know you're worried about Roadie, so make that your focus."

His eyes softened as he smiled at her. "And when this is all over, I'm looking forward to finally hearing you and your crew play. A concert by the Sea-Star Pirates will be a fitting celebration after such turmoil."He said as his subordinates, Sojiro and Olivia, paused in the middle of their fights to give Joan nods of encouragement as well.

Spinnin[]

Despite his initial shock, Moses' battle instincts proved to be fortunate, raising his wing-arms to act as a guard against Joey's incoming attack. Unseen to the naked eye, the familiar flash of black hue coated his feathers moments before the tornado-covered leg struck hard and true. To the aged assassin, it felt like someone shoved the spinning blades of a blender against his arms, the slicing winds digging into his limbs before the concussive force sent him skidding back and slamming into a tree behind him.

CRACK

Upon impact, the tree snapped in two, the trunk collapsing onto the ground with a loud thud. Moses let out a loud huff, looking down at his arms and noticing the deep cuts along the otherwise protected limbs. "Even with my Haki, he was able to damage me... This new form of his.." With narrowed eyes, he stared at the storm-wearing Joey. "...It's more than 'wearing' the wind around him. Even if he were to do it, there is no way his strength and speed would have increased by this margin."

With that thought in mind, Moses flapped his wings and exploded forthーdisplaying neither fear nor hesitationーin the form of a green and white streak, closing the distance between them. Once in range, the assassin swung his Busoshoku-infused wing-arm like a sword to cleave through Joey's head.

Joey's hands, enveloped in swirling tornadoes, met Moses' wing-arm head-on as the resulting collision unleashed a shockwave that rattled the earth beneath them and sent tremors through the nearby trees, leaves and smaller branches cascading to the ground.

"Mrgh!" Joey's feet dug deep into the earth as he skidded backward, struggling against the overwhelming power of Moses' strike. The old assassin's Haki-infused attack was a testament to his lethal skill and experience, but Joey's new form was able to close the gap between them. The whirling winds around his arms not only fortified his defense but also amplified his physical capabilities to an incredible degree as Joey grit his teeth while being pushed back. He knew he didn't have long to remain in this new form so he couldn't afford to waste the opportunity as he called forth whatever strength he had left to resist Moses' attack, slowly halting the attack until they eventually came to a stand still.

"Gotcha now!" Joey grinned and in one swift motion, he firmly grasped Moses' wing-arm that he had managed to successfully block. Using the momentum gathered by his swirling hurricanes, Joey began to twirl Moses in the air, the force of the spin increasing by the second as the whirlwinds around his arms acted as an engine of rotation, transforming Joey into the epicenter of a growing tornado. The wind howled ferociously, and Moses, now caught in the eye of this storm, would be spun around at unimaginable speeds by Joey as the forest and trees around them began to uproot from the swirling tornado.

With a final, Herculean effort, Joey aimed to drive Moses downwards, intending to smash him into the ground with the full might of the tornado.

"GRAHHHHH!" Despite his best efforts, Moses was unable to break free from Joey's grasp with the surging whirlwinds around his arms unknowingly sliced into his arms even further, leaving deep lacerations within their wake. At the same time, the constant spinning sent his brain rattling around his skull, disorienting him and preventing the assassin from figuring out a way to escape from his current predicament. With these factors combined, his instincts took over as in a flash of blackness, Moses covered his body in Busoshoku Haki to bolster his defenses to take the brunt of wind-powered Izuna Drop.

Unfortunately, even with his improved durability, it wasn't enough to stave off the full might of it as Moses let out a cry of pain upon being driven headfirst into the ground, with the earth shattering upon impact and kicking up a large cloud of dirt within its wake. "Fucking...Hanauta Giri" Moses lashed out with a high-frequency slash once more, aiming along Joey's chest and head to not only injure him but free himself as well.

Blood sprayed into the air as Moses' high-frequency slash found its mark across Joey's chest, narrowly avoiding the young captain's head as he had managed to twist his body to avoid the potentially fatal slash. Even as blood poured out of his wound, Joey's resolve remained unshaken as he endured the searing pain and propelled himself upwards, launching into the air with the aid of his swirling winds.

If Moses looked up, he would find Joey descending towards him, both legs extended in a ferocious dropkick as the swirling tornado's around his body accelerated both the power and speed of his descent several times over as Joey intended to drive the man further into the ground with an earth shattering dropkick.

Fortunately for him, Moses did take notice of his opponent's position and action as the whirlwind-covered teen barreled towards him with the speed and force of a category 5 hurricane. With a thunderous flap of his wings, he propelled himself forward at blinding speed mere moments before Joey drove into the ground, splitting the ground even further. With blood dripping down his forehead, Moses let out a laugh while grinning in glee. "Yes! This is what I expected from the son of my enemy!"

As he spoke, the assassin's body wildly took on more avian-like traits until he was truly the amalgamation of a human and hummingbirdーthe Human-Beast Form of a Zoan. As he released a loud shriek, the wings upon his back flapped rapidly as Moses's body arose in the air before darting swiftly towards Joey while swinging his talons, unleashing a flurry of rapidly approaching air blades. "Hanauta Tsume!"

"Tempest Railgun!" Joey roared, bringing his arms together as the twin tornadoes that encased his arms converged into a spiraling cannon of wind that shot forth with tremendous speed and power towards Moses' air slashes. The resulting clash between the twin tornado blasts and the flurry of air blades caused the area around them to tremble from the shockwave of the opposing forces. Trees bent and swayed as the leaves and debris caught in the after shock were blown and sliced apart from their combined attacks.

As the smoke and air began to disperse within the forest, Joey's figure would suddenly emerge forth, cutting through the chaos as he rocketed forward towards Moses. Joey, his body still enveloped in swirling winds, had already propelled himself, drawing his arms tornado covered arms back as he began to charge a technique knowing this might be his last chance to land a devastating attack before his form ran out.

With speed that'd make an experienced Rokushiki user jealous, Moses exploded into the air as with each flap of his wings, the hummingbird-human hybrid continued to pick up momentum until he was nothing more than a streak in the sky. At the same time, his vision started to blur as the sheer speed caused him to develop tunnel vision, being solely focused entirely on the approaching Joey.

"Let's end this, Gale D. Joseph! TENTE KOMAI!" His body combusted in a brilliant surge of red-hot flames, taking on the visage of raging snake. Letting out a loud hiss in tandem with the crackling of the fire, the blazing serpent trailed behind Moses while he blitzed forward Joey with a Busoshoku-infused talon ready to slice into the son of his enemy.

As Moses hurtled towards him with his blazing talon, Joey widened his stance, his arms and legs stretching out. The tornadoes that swirled around each limb expanded, their whirling forces converging into a massive, spiraling leviathan; a mythical creature that was said to embody power and fear itself.

"STORM LEVIATHAN!" Joey screamed as the leviathan headed his words and charged towards Moses and his fiery serpent, the two colossal forces clashing in midair. The collision was monumental, sending shockwaves rippling through the air and ground as the forest around them shook violently, trees bending and snapping under the pressure of the two powerful attacks. For a moment, it seemed as though Moses' flames, fueled by the wind, would overpower Joey's leviathan as the young captain grit his teeth from the pressure of maintaining the immense rotation of his attack.

Joey however, ever the resourceful and quick-thinking strategist, immediately thought of a strategy in the midst of the clash as he forcibly began to reverse the rotation of his winds, an aspect of his devil fruit power he had yet to exploit during this entire battle. This sudden shift created a powerful backdraft, disrupting the trajectory and intensity of Moses' attack that had been clashing against the clockwise spinning winds as the sudden counter clockwise change would disrupt the attack, creating a momentary gap in Moses' defense.

Seizing that opportunity and knowing he was approaching his limit, Joey focused all of his attention towards maximizing the spinning power of the two tornados enveloped at his feet as he tucked his body inward before he shot himself forward, propelled through the turbulent winds of his tornado's like a cannonball as he suddenly burst through the body of his leviathan, a blur zipping through the air straight towards his intended target – Moses' unguarded stomach after he had created an opening by reversing the rotation of his attack.

"You clever little...!" Moses cursed at the ingenuity of Joey's action, realizing what the blond-haired teen had done far too late. His strongest attack had not only been veered off-course but used against him, taking note where Joey was attempting to strike him at. Regardless, he refused to accept this defeat as he flapped his wings with the intensity of a mad man, only to find it was futile in the face of backdraft created as a result of his opponent's Devil Fruit ability.

Yet despite that, the old man didn't give into his frustration nor hatred. Instead, with a hearty gut, he let out a squawk of laughter at the irony of the situation. "I guess I can't escape it..."

Like father, like son it seemed.

"So, I'll meet ya head on!" With zero hesitation, Moses attacked with everything he had left, his razor sharp talon cleaving through the very air which pulled him in as it continued to vibrate at high frequency.

Joey's high speed headbutt would meet head on with Moses' razor sharp talon as the clash between the two opposing forces sent shockwaves rippling throughout the forest. The air seemed to compress around them as neither side gave an inch, refusing to let up for even a single moment should they wish to be blown away. Their clash seemed to go on for an eternity until briefly, one side managed to slowly but surely, breakthrough and that side was Joey as his momentum, combined with the backdraft he had created, proved to be enough to get him through.

"HAAAAAAAAAAA!" Joey screamed as blood trickled down his face and with a final, Herculean effort, he broke through Moses' talon as his forehead crashed right into the old assassin's stomach with devastating impact. The collision sent them both hurtling downwards, spiraling into the ground with such force that it created a massive crater that tore through the ground for miles as the earth shook and clouds of dust and debris rose into the air, hiding the aftermath of their clash.

As the dust eventually settled, Joey lay face first on the ground in the center of his own crater, his body having been pushed to its absolute limits. His breaths were heavy and slow as each inhale was a struggle as he lay among the wreckage he had caused. Weakly, Joey lifted his head, his vision bloody and blurred as he searched for any sign of Moses. The old assassin, who had matched him blow for blow, who had pushed him beyond his limits, who had forced him to surpass himself – was he finally defeated?

Laying in the crater several feet away from Joey was Mosesーno longer in his Human-Beast formーas his left arm was completely mangled, looking twisted beyond human comprehension while there was a deep spiral mark engraved within his torso. With a rough cough, a sputtle of crimson blood escaped his mouth, leaking down his chin as he stared up at the sky with a look of resignation.

For a brief moment, there was only the sound of the cool breeze and rustling leaves as neither said anything between each other. However, it was swiftly eclipsed with the soft chuckling which escaped Moses.

"0-2 in terms of taking on your family. I can't say I'm surprised honestly..." With a bloody smirk, he continued. "Part of me was expecting it."

Joey, mustering every ounce of strength he had left, pushed himself up as he staggered towards Moses, his steps unsteady but determined.

Reaching the injured assassin, Joey looked down at Moses with a mix of respect and defiance. Despite the pain and exhaustion etched on his face, Joey's voice was steady as he spoke.

"You were a serious pain in my ass but..." Joey paused, reflecting on their fight before he smirked a bit. "...You did help me grow stronger during our battle and forced me to use my powers in a way I never thought of before. So... thanks, old man" He admitted before turning as he began to walk away to join back up with his allies. Before taking another step however, he briefly looked over his shoulder.

"If you ever wanna settle your beef with my old man or just want a rematch, you know where to find me. Later" He left those parting words before he began his exit from the area, hopeful that his friends were alright.

"With the rate you are growing, I doubt I'll be able to catch up." Moses muttered to himself, giving a tired smile as he watched Joey vanish in the distance. At his age, there was a ceiling he had hit and there wasn't much he could do to go beyond that. He didn't have the time nor the energy.

However, his words didn't reach his resolve as the desire to challenge Joey and his father raged on within. "Yet it seems like this stubborn old man doesn't want to quit quite yet... Just watch yourself, boy..."

As he slowly drifted unconscious, Moses softly spoke as the howling wind echoed around him. "I'm not the only one out there with a grudge against your old man.... Get stronger."

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